Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

Dozier Foresees I N N E W S R E E L S Davis and Surles More Musicals For Next Year William Dozier Musicals, and period stories — "even as in the theatre now" — may be expected from Hollywood during the next year, in the opinion of William Dozier, R K O general production aide, story supervisor and producer, who arrived in New York last week for a round of play viewing, and for conferences with home office executives. "And, of course, comedy is always' acceptable," Mr. Dozier added. "We are not avoiding war pictures per se; we are trying to distinguish between stories about war, and those with a war background. We do not shy away from doing a strong comedy or drama with a war background." The public only gets tired of "bad pictures," Mr. Dozier believes. "If 'Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo' is doing well, it's because it is a good war picture," he said. "In any event," he added, "pictures are going to have to be good in the next couple of years, when people get gas again, and take the car out at night instead of going to the movies. We afRKO studio have been economizing for the past year or so against the day when the receipts fall." Mr. Dozier expects a "flood" of good stories after the war's end, when many writers are released from war service and when many persons are able to tell their war experiences. In Nev^f York, Mr. Dozier saw many leading plays. Their caliber, he feels, is higher than for many years. He praised "Sadie Thompson," "The Late George Apley," "Snafu," "Anna Lucasta," and "I Remember Mama." The last named RKO will produce perhaps in two years, and it was discussed by him with N. Peter Rathvon, RKO president, relative to showing the play on the road. Roadshows of plays make them more valuable for film production, Mr. Dozier believes ; but he also feels that a best selling novel is a better preselling basis for a picture. The theatre's taste is of "a little higher order, Mr. Dozier observed. "For that $4.40, you get that, and you also get some intellectual factors you cannot put into the motion pictures." Purchase of Broadway plays has been made difficult by diffidence of producers, and accompanying financial factors, Mr. Dozier said. Producers prefer to sell plays as capital assets, avoiding taxes, he said ; and they are in "no hurry nowadays." "RKO started this high price trend when it paid $200,000 for 'Room Service,' " he said. Doob Given Gold Coin by Canadian Government Oscar A. Doob, Loew's Theatres director of advertising and publicity, has received a gold coin from the Canadian Government inscribed, "Canada Thanks Oscar A. Doob." The presentation was made at a recent meeting of Loew's Theatres managers by Francis Harmon, executive vice-chairman of the War Activities Committee, on behalf of the Canadian Government. It was during the Third War Loan Drive, when Mr. Doob was called to Washington to serve as assistant director of the War Finance Committee, that he gave advice and assistance to the Canadian Government in one of their drives. MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 27, No. 25— Sinking of the Tirpitz by R.A.F. blockbusters. . . Revolt in Denmark. . . . Holland flooded. . . . Strafing in Germany. . . . Christmas mail for boys at sea. . . . Secretary Morgenthau asks support for Sixth War Loan Drive. MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 27, No. 26-B-29s bomb Tokyo from U. S. base on Saipan. . . . General Eisenhower receives Churchill on western front. . . . Secretary of State resigns. . . . Cordell Hull gets Humanitarian Award. . . . Football: Ohio vs. Michigan. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 15, No. 223— Mighty Tirpitz ^unk by R.A.F. . . . Inside Denmark: Our Yanks blast Nazi Hurtgen forest. . . . Sixth War Loan Cavalcade. . . . U. S. Navy delivers goods to Santa. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 15, No. 224— Superforts carry war to Tokyo. . . . Variety Clubs pay homage to Cordell Hull. . . . Churchill confers with Eisenhower. . . . Quaker City hails Santa Claus' arrival. . . . Football thrillers: Ohio State Big 10 champion. . . . Trojans win Rose Bowl test. PARAMO'UNT NEWS— No. 26— Yanks smash toward Rhine. . . Christmas in November — Doomed child sees Santa. . . . Revolt: The hidden story of Copenhagen. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 27— Big 10 Champ— Ohio State defeats Michigan. . . . Nation honors Cordell Hull Hull, Humanitarian. . . B-29s open air war on Japan. . . . War Bond report. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 16, No. 2&-Tirpitz sunk. . . . Denmark underground sabotages the Nazis. . . . Big push opens on wintry western front. . . . Allies advance through Holland flood and storm. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 16, No. 2a-B-29s raid Japan from Saipan. . . . Southern California, Ohio State grid victors. . . . Churchill visits French troops. . . . Eisenliower tours free Belgium. . . . Hull given Variety Club award. UNIVERSAL NEWS— Vol. 17, No. 3«^Yank guns crumble West Wall. . . . Sinking the Tirpitz. . . . Los .\ngeles Bond drive. . . . War in Denmark. . . . Morgenthau speaks. . . . Giants 34, Packers 0. UNIVERSAL NEWS— Vol. 17, No. 35fl^The miracle of Saipan. . . . With General Eisenhower. . . . Secretary Hull honored. . . . Churchill visits French. . . . Colored nurses abroad. . . . Buckeyes 18, Wolverines 14. ALL AMERICAN NEWS— Vol. 3, No. 109^Santa's helpers busy these days. . . . War Manpower Commission seeks workers. . . . New York honors Handy on birthday. . . Navy bands whoops it up for Sixth War Loan drive. . . . Wounded Yanks treated at Mayo General Hospital. . . . First contingent of Negro nurses arrives in England. Mills of OWI Pays Tribute to Industry for War Work Paying tribute to the performance of the industry in the war effort, Taylor M. Mills, chief of the domestic motion picture bureau of the Office of War Information, said in Washington last week that its contribution "cannot be measured in dollars, but in the patriotism of producers, distributors and exhibitors." Mr._ Mills made the statement after meeting with Francis Harmon, executive vice-chairman of the War Activities Committee; John C. FHnn, coordinator of the Hollywood division, and Tom Baily, his associate, to discuss plans for 1945 season film releases. Ten subjects are now in various stages of production, dealing with a number of Government problems and policies, and will ber leased as raw stock becomes available for prints. "The industry has made available to this office its full facilities for the making of informative films and those to aid Red Cross, War Bond drives and to explain to the public the conquests of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Forces," Mr. Mills said. "The producers of Hollywood, the distributors and exhibitors through the nation, the newsreels and the presidents of all companies are entitled to a vote of appreciation. "Since Pearl Harbor, the industry has made it possible for the OWI to exhibit to the public seven full-length features, 85 short subjects of one and two reels, 26 newsreel bulletins and 36 trailers. These were shown in some 16,000 theatres pledged to the OWI-WAC program." GPE Votes Dividend The directors of General Precision Equipment Corporation Tuesday declared a dividend of 25 cents per share on the company's capital stock, payable December 15 to stockholders of record at the close of business December 6. "Together Again" in Second Week at the Music Hall Playing to largest Thanksgiving audiences in Radio City Music Hall's 12-year history, with 95,595 persons seeing the film during the first four days of holiday weekend, Columbia's "Together Again" entered its second week at the New York house Thursday. Speakers at WAC Annual Meeting Service by the film industry to the nation's war and welfare units was outlined and examined at the annual meeting in New York Thursday of the 'i War Activities Committee. The film needs of such units were described by their chiefs at an open luncheon meeting in the ' Hotel Warwick. Heading the service unit guests, were Elmer Davis, director of the Office of War' Information, and Taylor Mills, head of its motion -i picture section ; Basil O'Connor, chairman of thq Red Cross, and Stewart Brown, its vice-chairman ;p Major General A. D. Surles, director of the army'sfi public relations; Ted R. Gamble, national director of the Treasury's War Finance division ; Captain Eugene Markey, director of the Navy's motion! picture bureau; and Major Orton Hicks, Armyj Overseas Motion Picture Service. George J. Schaefer, WAC chairman, presided;; Francis Harmon, WAC coordinator, introduced' the speakers. Also among the latter were to bel Harry Brandt, chairman of the film industry's! Sixth War Loan participation; Ned E. Depinet, chairman of the WAC distributors' division; Jack' Alicoate, John Flinn, Oscar Doob, S. H. Fabiani^ and others. * The WAC theatre division met in the morning. At the joint meeting which followed, nominations for 1945 officers were offered. Appreciation for the service of Arthur Mayer and Stanton Griffis, former WAC executives, now with the Red Cross in the Pacific, was expressed in resolutions. FPC Asks Change In Canadian Code Famous Players Canadian has submitted a minority report to the Canadian industry's conference committee on conciliation proposals. The circuit recommends autonomous boards in each exchange center to handle disputes, rather than a national organization. FPC supports the general principle of trade concilation but J. J. Fitzgibbons, head of the circuit, advocates that theatres located in the individual exchange territories settle elisputes locally, rather than through a national setup. For the proposed Ontario board, FPC recommends that any two members of the Motion PicTheatres Association of Ontario be eligible for appointment to conciliation cases and not two independent exhibitor members of that association, as stipulated in the draft of the code now under consideration. The MPTA is made up of circuit associates or partners and independent theatre owners. Mr. Fitzgibbons further suggested that the National War Services Committee could extend its activities "to effectively represent the industry in matters that might concern the industry nationally." Plan Exclusive Spanish House in San Angelo The immediate construction, if possible, and post-war building if priorities are withheld, of a 1,000-seat theatre in San Angelo, Tex., for the exclusive showing of Latin-American pictures was announced last week by John D. Jones, manager of the Concho theatre there. Cost of the theatre was estimated at $50,000. The decision to build the house was reached following , a meeting in San Angelo between C. V. Jones, [ general manager of Robb and Rowley, and John I Rowley of the circuit's Dallas Office. Mr. Jones, in making the announcement, said, "In view of the growing Latin-American population here and the great improvement now noted in Spanish-language pictures, we feel that the new departure is well warranted." 32 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. DECEMBER 2. 1944