Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

en a Year ^DIO CITY MUSIC HALL expects to jU'ind up 1944 with a record of having presented 10 films, one picture less than its 1943 total. Irhe features were : "Jane Eyre," Twentieth |Century-Fox, which ran four weeks; "Up in !|A.rms," RKO Radio, four weeks ; "Cover Girl," jCoIumbia, six weeks; "White Cliffs of Dover," MGM, seven; "Once Upon a Time," Columbia, 'three; "Dragon Seed," MGM, eight; "Casanova JBrown," RKO Radio, four; "Mrs. Parkington," •MGM, six; "Together Again," Columbia, now "playing, expected to run three weeks until .IDecember 14 when "National Velvet," MGM •opens. With "Madame Curie," which opened in December, 1943 and ran five weeks into Janu• ary, MGM has had 29 weeks of playing time lat the Music Hall this year, compared to 26 tthe previous year. This year's longest-run film at the theatre was Metro's "Dragon Seed." Subject to Veto ; EMPLOYERS in Hollywood are not neces, sarily in the clear when wage increases have ■ been approved by the Salary Stabilization Division, they were advised this week by A. D. '. Burford, deput\ commissioner of the Salary Stabilization Bureau in Washington. The infori mation was given in an address at the meeting of the Independent Motion Picture Producers' Association. C. R. Johnston, legal adviser in Washington for the Stabilization Board, agreed. "Any action taken by the Board is not binding on the Internal Revenue Department who may disallow pay changes or increases." It was pointed out that in emergencies people could be employed and approval secured later. In the sunshine department, however, the Internal Revenue Bureau announced that companies involved in anti-trust suits might charge costs of defending themselves as ordinary and necessary business expense. Money More Vital MORE money apparently is of greater importance to a healthy theatre gross in the Chicago area than more leisure. A recent checkup of neighborhood theatres in defense plant areas disclosed that they had suffered a drop of 10 to 20 per cent in business for a three-month period, compared to the same period last year, due to a cut in overtime work in most plants. The decline is greater in the first run neighborhood houses with a stiffer admission price. The majority of plants are not keeping shifts over their regular eight-hour schedule, whittling the overtime payments. Unity Note PRAISE for distributor cooperation with exhibitors comes from the president of the Alabama Motion Picture Theatre Owners Association. "The exchange personnel," William R. Griffin of Cullman, Ala., writes the Herald, "is lending every aid in giving the exhibitor just what he can in the Sixth War Loan to make each Premiere, Movie Day and Kids Matinee a success." Expressing a hope for an approach to trade amity, Mr. Griffin continues : "You know, this unity between exhibitors, salesmen and distribution is meaning much in the very thing we are all working for — to cultivate a better feeling, a better understanding, a greater degree of confidence in each other. Wouldn't it be something if a whole lot of dissension would be eliminated while we are all working together to win this war. And it is altogether possible, too." Discord THE ARGENTINES don't like Russian pictures. Last week, Buenos Aires police closed a theatre, and arrested 80 in its audience. They had been watching "Leningrad Music Hall." The receipts were to have gone to the Argentine League for the Rights of Man. Argentina, which doesn't recognize Communist Russia, has declared the League Communist, and a year ago ordered it dissolved. First Run Fronts AMERICAN soldiers on German soil have been seeing Hollywood films since September 14, and troops in the Philippines have been shown films regularly since November 9, it was said last weekend by the Army Pictorial Service. The first showing in Germany took place three days after our troops crossed the border of the Reich. The film was "Meet the People." Hollywood films were among the supplies carried by the Philippine invasion fleet. The 16mm prints, gift of the American industry, previously had followed invasion forces after beachheads had been secured. Three film programs a week are now arriving in the Philippines. They are the newest produced in the U. S. in line with the Army's policy of sending the latest pictures first to the most advanced combat areas. The men get them first who need them most. Casualty DUE to the critical paper shortage, the Ohio censors, at Columbus, have discontinued issuing weekly bulletins showing films reviewed and eliminations ordered. Joy Restrained ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey resort, has a curfew. It is, thus far, for children. Unless accompanied by parent, guardian, or "responsible adult," none under 16 may be on streets, in automobiles or public places after 9:30 P. M. Penalties for children will be juvenile court hearings; for adults responsible for the children, rmaximum fines of $200 or 90 days in jail. The curfew, the City Commission says, will protect "the health, morals, property, safety, good order, and general welfare" of Atlantic's City's people. Short-Wave "Shadow'' CIVILIANS of liberated Europe and North Africa will soon hear the eerie voice of "The Shadow" over their radios. Mutual Broadcasting System's popular program is being beamed overseas via a new series of radio programs presented by the Office of War Information. To acquaint our Allies with Americana, by use of shows that make up a typical U. S. radio day, the series, titled "Your American Radio Review," uses recorded excerpts of outstanding radio programs combined with a "live" narration explaining the purpose of each radio highlight. The half-hour shows are beamed in Engglish every day at 4 P. M. to Europe and North Africa and reach listeners overseas at the after-dinner listening hour. Million Readers MORE than 1,000,000 copies of Stars and Stripes the Army newspaper, are circulated daily in the European war zones. Colonel Ensley M. Llewellyn announced in New York Tuesday, at the press interview at Yank offices. At two cents a copy, the paper already had turned in a profit of $3,000,000, he said. Colonel Llewellyn is officer in charge of the four overseas editions published in London, Paris, Marseilles and Bensancon. He expects to see a Belgian edition appear soon, to be issued in Liege, and shortly thereafter, a sixth edition, date-lined, Germany. All the money earned by Stars and Stripes goes into the Army's welfare fund for enlisted men. Rose Renewed GYPSY ROSE LEE, onetime Minsky stripper de luxe, is in status quo. It should be added, probably hastily, that this status refers to nomenclature rather than to activity. Known as the lass who ran a GString into two books and a play, she was edged into Hollywood some time ago under the cognomen of Louise Havoc, appearing under that name in one film. Turning her deciduous talents to the contemporary, she now appears as Gypsy Rose Lee in second billing to Randolph Scott in the International production, "Belle of the Yukon." It is distributed by RKO. A Freedom Preserved THE INALIENABLE right of American youth to aim pea-shooters at the object of its wrath has been upheld by a slender margin, and to the growing discomfiture of theatre showmen caught in the sweep of the pastime. Irked because their screens too frequently bore testimony to youthful accuracy, Detroit exhibitors complained to police that the lads were shooting at screen personalities they disliked — and destroying property in the doing. The City Council was asked to make possession of a pea-shooter punishable by 90 days in jail. Councilman Gus Dorias termed the idea as "screwy." It was defeated. Theatre showmen are still grappling with the problem while their screens are still getting shot full of holes. MOTION Picture herald, published every Saturday by Quigley Publishing Company, Rockefeller Center, New York City, 20. Telephone Circle 7-3100; Cable address "Quigpubco, New York." Martin Quigley, President; Colvin Brown, Vice-President; Red Kann, Vice-President; T. J. Sullivan, Secretary; Terry Ramsaye, Editor; James D. Ivers, News Editor; William G. Formby, Field Editor; Ray Gallagher, Advertising Manager; Chicago Bureau, 624 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, 5; Hollywood Bureou, Postal Union Life Building, Hollywood, 28. William R. Weaver, editor; Toronto Bureau, 242 Millwood Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, W. M. Gladish, correspondent; Montreal Bureau, 265 Vitre St., West, Montreal, Conoda, Pat Donovan, correspondent; London Bureau, 4 Golden Square, London W I, Hope Williams Burnup, manager; Peter Burnup, editor; cable Quigpubco London; Melbourne Bureou, The Regent Theatre, 191 Collins St., Melbourne, Australia, Cliff Holt, correspondent; Sydney Bureau, 17 Archbold Rd., Roseville, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia, Lin Endean, correspondent; Mexico City Bureau, Dr. Cormona v Voile 6, Mexico City, Luis Becerra Cells, correspondent; Buenos Aires Bureau, J. E. Urlburl 126, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Notolio Bruski, correspondent; Rio de Janeiro Bureau, R. Sao Jose, 61 C. Postol 834, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Alfredo C. Machodo, correspondent; Montevideo Bureau, P. O. Box 664, Montevideo, Uruguay, Paul Bodo, correspondent; cable Argus Montevideo. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. All contents copyright 1944 by Quigley Publishing Company. Address oil correspondence to the New York Office. Other Quigley Publicotions: Better Theatres, Motion Picture Dolly, International Motion Picture Almanac, and Fame. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 9, 1944 9