Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

THIS WEEK IN THE NEWS Air Battle CECIL B. DEMILLE, motion picture and radio producer, has until 5 P.M. December 11 to pay $1 to the American Federation of Radio Artists, AFL affiliate, or get off the air. He says he will not pay it. The union says that he and "other delinquent members" must pay up. Unless they do, they will be suspended. Mr. DeMille is wagering his $5,000-per-week radio job against the $1. He said he would quit radio "rather than pay one single dollar in political tribute which acknowledges that I am no longer a free man." Federation members were assessed $1 each to fight a proposed California law to ban the union shop. Mr. DeMille declared his belief that no organization should have the right "to usurp the rights of an American voter and arbitrarily make up his mind for him that he must support or oppose any proposition on the ballot. I might afford to lose $1, but I cannot afford to lose my rights as an American citizen, or my respect for myself as such." The union replied that it considered the proposition "outside the realm of partisan politics, regarding it purely as an attack on the right of a union to bargain collectively for a union shop — a fundamental principle of American unionism." The producer announced he would fight the attempt of the union to deny him the right to broadcast, his attorney declaring that he would file suit later in the week to prevent the union from removing him from his radio program. It appeared the issue would be settled in the courts, the union advising that it would fight the suit. Mr. DeMille, in Hollywood, issued a statement of 1,032 words with an injunction to the press that it be used in full or not at all. Ban Not a Ban IT WAS a warm attack while it lasted. It didn't last long. Newspaper dispatches from London quoted the British Ministry of Information's protest against the banning of the documentary film, "Western Approaches," by the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. The statement termed the action "unnecessarily prudish," reported the ban had been imposed because of allegedly profane dialogue. Will H. Hays, MPPDA president, said that while there might be a print of the film here, it "had never been submitted for consideration" to his office. Thomas Baird, director of the Film Division of the British Information Services in New York, agreed with Mr. Hays. He said he could not understand "how the mistaken report originated." Films in India INDIA'S national government is encouraging the development of its local film industry for the post-war period to serve the entertainment and educational needs of its people at home and to foster better understanding of its national history, culture and social and economic problems among the nations of the world. M. Akbar Fazalbhoy, special representative of the Indian film industry, said in New York STETTINIUS shakeup focuses on filnns' world importance Page 13 WARNER Brothers resigns from MPPDA after long conflict Page 14 TELEVISION will help screen theatre, declares John Royal of NBC Page 15 PRECEDENTS fall as Warners buy "Life with Father" for $500,000 Page 16 INDUSTRY'S Sixth War Loan drive heads for new sales records Page 18 SERVICE DEPARTMENTS RADIO editors select Bob Hope as channpion' for fourth time Page 27 SPYROS Skouras addresses 20th-Fox sales co"-? vention In New York Page 30 ^ TWENTIETH Century-Fox 39-week profit is up; to $9,487,929 Page 30 ! Hollywood Scene In the Newsreels Managers' Round Table IN PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION Showmen's Reviews Advance Synopses REELECT heads of War Activities Commit-* tee, pledge continued war aid Page 32 jj EXHIBITOR organization warns British show-r men to book carefully in future Page 34 1 I Page 44f Page 43; Page 40 Page 22175 Page 2218 Page 2219 Page 37 Picture Grosses Page 39 Shorts on Broadway Page 45 What the Picture Did for Me Release Chart by Companies Page 2213 Service Data Page 2216 The Release Chart Wednesday that Indian producers planned to make films in the English language for Indian trade. He is in the United States arranging for the purchase of much needed raw stock, theatre and studio equipment. Mr. Fazalbhoy is managing director for RCA Photophone Equipments, Ltd., of Bombay. He was a member of the Indian delegation at the recent International Business Conference in Rye, N. Y. India produces about 150 films a year compared to 400 American pictures and 60 British. There are only 1,700 theatres serving a population of 390,000,000 compared to 17,000 film houses in the United States with a population of 130,000,000, he points out. By Proxy Playing Safe "FOUR WALLS do not a prison make . . ." in the minds of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Despite the fact that George Browne and Willie Bioff are currently iced under Federal aegis, the IBEW asked in Los Angeles recently that these individuals, the lATSE affiliated studio unions. Paramount and 20 "JohnDoes" be restrained from bothering their union. In a jurisdictional battle, the lATSE allegedly is seeking control of "anything pertaining to motion pictures." The IBEW claims exclusive right to handle sound equipment. Meanwhile, the movement for a 30-hour work week after the war gained momentum in adoption of a resolution by the American Federation of Labor convention in New Orleans. The AFL urged Congress to establish the short week to spread employment and relieve production "tensions." The committee reported: "Technical advances in industry and the accelerating rate of production have developed tensions which cause workers to burn out at an early age." NOVELTY, in addition to selling War Bonds,! drew the praise of the director of the Office of DefeiTse Transportation. In a letter to Harryi M. Warner, the laudatory comment came from J. M. Johnson, the director. He praised and endorsed the "proxy premiere" idea being carried out by Warner Bros, in connection with the opening of "Hollywood Canteen" at the Strand in Albany, coincident with the NeWij York Strand premiere on December 15. ! Commending the conservation of travel byl, having prominent local citizens buy War Bonds for the privilege of sitting in for Hollywooc}; celebrities, instead of sending the stars in per-t| son to Albany, Mr. Johnson said: ji "Staging the world premiere of a majorJ production by proxy, in days like these, meansn much more than novel motion picture exploi-|l tation. It is exemplary evidence by your organization of a sincere understanding of the nation's transportation problem today. It is a real contribution to the travel conservation problem of the ODT." j Papa Bing THE BING (Crosby, of course), super-show-j man who is fond of a good gag and doesn't, hesitate to give his radio or screen fans the, inimitable Crosby touch, has come up with ani all-time high in film gags. He has permitted^ his four sons, Gary, Phillip, Dennis and Lind say, to appear in his new Paramount picture,) "Duffy's Tavern." The boys will be seen in a sketch wherein Robert Benchley, no slouch at comedy angles, tells the story of Crosby's life to the Crosby youngsters. This is the second time the boys appeared on the screen. Recently they made their debut as a quartet; in "Out of This World," for Paramount, of course. Gary, 11, the oldest son, appeared with Bing in "Star Spangled Rhythm." I MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 9, 194^.