Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

he Rains Came .OOD-WATER caused by incessant rains tr the weekend spread throughout the whole ujgth. of the Ohio River Monday, inundating E production centers and sending thousands residents to safety on high ground. Approxj itelv 30 square miles of the Greater CincintLi area, including northern Kentucky, were jibded. l.IThe Ohio River at Cincinnati rose to 62 feet Jt Sunday and climbed upward Monday and esday. Flood stage is 52 feet. Scores of fiatres in Ohio, Kentucky and even West |irginia were forced to close, many of them pded with several feet of water. '•The Americus and Broadway theatres in [•ncinnati shut down after water poured into auditoria. Crews worked all night remov•9 % seats and furnishings. Other film houses Ported closed were the Dodge, New Rich»nd. Lyric, New Boston, Ripley, L)rric, Mantester, Bendzue, Pomeroy, all in Ohio; the :alls, Catlettsburg, Odeon, Augusta, Russell, rand, Vanceburg, Ren Roy, Greenup, in Ken:ky; the Alpine and Palace in West Virginia. I ;: Not Necessary9' C1TH0UGH physically unfit for military ;rvice, Frank Sinatra, radio singer and film tor, is not considered performing work iecessary to the national health, safety or in-est." The many-times-called, but never incted, singer was continued in the 4-F classiation established for him by his draft board December of 1943. The new ruling unseatan earlier announcement of a few hours iration wherein Mr. Sinatra was pegged in \-F, a category applying to those physically i tit for service and engaged in pursuing an sential occupation. Ira W. Caldwell, chairan of the supervising draft board in New ork, refused to comment on the "not necesry" classification. He said he hoped that ' continuing the singer in 4-F "we've heard te last of this." rrateful IVIC good will, an asset diligently sought > the theatre showman, came in abundance a Southern exhibitor as the result of the orld premiere in Macon, Ga., of Warner rothers' "God Is My Co-Pilot." Mayor harles L. Bowden of Macon expressed his ratitude to William K. Jenkins, head of the •ucas & Jenkins Theatres, operator of the thea"q in which the film premiered, in the followng letter to circuit headquarters in Atlanta: "I wish I could command words that would adequately express to you the deep apprecia,'.on and gratitude of the people of Macon for ;ne wonderful service and fine cooperation you ave to us in the world premiere showing of iod Is My Co-Pilot'. Your great assistance ommenced months ago when we began our ft'orts to secure this showing for Macon that v-e might do proper honors to a Macon boy, Tolonel Robert Scott. "You were untiring in your efforts in our interest — you and your organization have been so generous of your time, efforts and money to make this showing the big success it was — and we want you to know that we shall be forever grateful for everything you and your staff did. We hope that you were entirely satisfied with the entire program." Trophy to Adrian FURTHER recognition that Hollywood is a pace-setter for milady's fashion was accorded recently in New York by the American Fashion Critics. At their annual awards luncheon, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, the critics voted Adrian, Hollywood designer, first prize winner. Adrian received the bronze trophy, nicknamed Winnie, and $1,000 in War Bonds, awarded by Coty, Inc., the perfume company which sponsors the contest. The designer first won fame fashioning clothes for Hollywood stars, both for their stage and private wardrobes. He is noted for creating the now famous silhouette — wide shoulders tapering to a tiny waist. At a press conference before the awards luncheon, the designer predicted that after the war, new speed in travel would make fashions quickly international. He said he looked forward to healthy competition for the first time instead of patronage from overseas. He believes America must achieve some definite kind of fashion center, but did not offer an opinion as to whether it should be Hollywood or New York, a subject of long-standing controversy among designers on the west and east coasts. Seventh Level, Down MOTION picture theatres did not appear on the priority list issued by the War Production Board in Washington Tuesday night to be employed next winter, in case of need, to spread available coal supplies among essential war and civilian consumers. A WPB spokesman, however, said confidentially last week that theatres would go into the very lowest of seven categories. With the threat of a strike by John Lewis' United Mine Workers, theatres using coal were faced with the possibility of an enforced shutdown such as was twice applied last month to theatres in seven states using manufactured gas. Three new gas pipelines, however, are expected to benefit consumers in the Middle West next winter. For Rent NEW YORK apartment hunters who have been desperately searching the city for a place to live were somewhat flabbergasted recently when they saw one-sheet cards posted in subways, reading : "Apartments. Hotel Berlin. 1,000 rooms. 2,000 secret passageways. Occupancy March 2. Warner Bros. Strand Theatre, Broadway at 47th Street." The car cards were distributed by Greater New York Subway Advertising at the behest of Warners, who paid for the advertising. Zeb Epstin, managing director of the Strand, reported last week that dozens of hopeful apartment seekers actually came to the theatre looking for rooms. Costly Sound FILM COMPANIES are finding it too costly a process to transcribe radio promotion from the sound tracks of their own musical pictures. Consequently, some of them are employing small orchestras to make the recordings for spot announcements in their advertising campaigns. This decision was reached because of the demand of the American Federation of Musicians for "stand-by," or extra orchestra, fees. Illustrating the point, when Paramount started to record portions of the sound track to promote "Bring on the Girls," the studio was advised it would have to record the musical sequences again with an AFM orchestra, or pay "stand-by" charges equivalent to the wages of 42 musicians. In Chicago last Friday, James Caesar Petrillo, president of the American Federation of Musicians, originator of the device for union "royalty" participation in the manufacture of merchandise, commenting on John L. Lewis' royalty proposal of 10 cents per ton on coal mined by his United Mine Workers Union, said he believed the public would regard it as sound policy for an employer to pay directly to a union a fee on each piece of merchandise produced. Global Reviewers GOOD news, and bad, has a habit of leaking out, even if it has to go half-way around the globe to do it. Former employees of the Schine Circuit, which headquarters in Gloversville, N. Y., now serving overseas where many motion pictures are shown long before the industry or public see them over here, are sending preview reports back home well ahead of the trade showings. One such report arrived recently from Guy Hevia, former Schine employee now in Belgium, where he is attached to the Special Service Section Headquarters of the U. S. First Army in charge of stage and screen entertainment. Wrote Mr. Hevia: "Just had a preview of Warner's "Rhapsody in Blue" and recommend it for preferred time on the circuit. Incidentally, we're holding the 'world premiere' here, and pictures and newsreel shots will be available to tie in with your advertising campaign back in the States. The doughboys' slants and views on the picture should be interesting." The picture, which has been completed for about a year, has not been set for release, nor has it been reviewed or tradeshown in this country. IT was reported in New York this week that the Famous Players-Canadian Corporation, Ltd., was planning to go into production — initially with a program of 15 short subjects and Canadian documentaries. Executives of the circuit in Toronto refused to comment. It is to be recalled that Adolph Zukor, speaking at the Famous Players-Canadian anniversary dinner in Toronto last month, said there was a possibility that Paramount would soon be making short subjects with a Canadian background. ♦VOTION PiCTURE HERALD, published every Saturday by Quigley Publishing Company, Rockefeller Center, New York City, 20. Telephone Circle 7-3100; Cable address "Quigpubco, New Vark." Martin Quigley, President; Colvin Brown, Vice-President; Red Kann, Vice-President; Theo. J. Sullivan, Secretary; Terry Ramsaye, Editor; James D. Ivers, News Editor; William G. Formby, jfisld Editor, Ray Gallagher, Advertising Manager; Chicago Bureau, 624 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, 5; Hollywood Bureau, 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, Canada, Pat Donovan, correspondent; London Bureau, 4 Golden Square, London W I, Hope Williams Burnup, manager; Peter Burnup, editor; cable Quigpubco London; Melbourne Bureau, The Regent Theatre, ?l Collins St., Melbourne, Australia, Cliff Holt, correspondent; Sydney Bureau, 17 Archbold Rd., Roseville, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia, Lin Endean, correspondent; Mexico City Bureau, 3r. Carmona y Va-lle 6, Mexico City, Luis Becerra Celis, correspondent; Buenos Aires Bureau, J. E. Uriburi 126, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Natalio Bruski, correspondent-; Rio de Janeiro 3'jreau, R. Sao Jose, 61 C. Postal 834, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Alfredo C. Machado, correspondent; Montevideo Bureau, P. O. Box 664, Montevideo, Uruguay, Paul Bodo, correspondent; Arable Argus Montevideo. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. All contents copyright 1945 by Quigley Publishing Company. Address all correspondence to the New York Office. Other Ouigley Publications: Better Theatres, Motion Picture Daily, International Motion Picture Almanac, and Fame. 9