Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

THIS WEEK IN THE NEW Pin -up Protest PIN-UP girls and press agents received some caustic criticism recently from the GFs who T?b}lS\;4ero Gram' a camP PaPer at Gunter tield, Montgomery, Ala. "Press agents, drum beaters and their ilk have evidently never been informed that the American soldier is the most intelligent miltiary man in the world," Aero Gram commented. "Trying to sell them the idea that some Hollywood cut-rate cutie is just what they ordered is like trying to get the Statue of Liberty to do a fan dance in Times Square. Press agents, said Aero Gram, "are asked to use more discretion in selling 'The Body the Bust, the Beast' or 'Miss Ammunition Dump' to the average khaki-clad Yank. At the present rate of exchange a press agent who attempts to peddle flesh by the pound is worth slightly 1850 "*" 3 h°rSe thiCf 'n CarS°n CUy ar°Und MORE raw stock allocated for trade, less for some companies Page 12 SCREEN to have big role in post-war control of Germany page \-j ON THE MARCH— Red Kann discusses prefabricated theatres Page 18 BOX Office Champions for the month of February page 23 BYRNES burns, but it is still a I A.M. curfew in New York page 26 SERVICE DEPARTMENTS THIRTY years of industry — 20th Centu has an anniversary pa RKO makes plans to produce in F through Pathe company Pa< ONCE there were three Irishmen— and Academy Awards pac INDIA would restrict film activities < foreign interests pac| BRITISH industry undertakes to trair soldiers for screen work Pac Seeking a Cure No Manpower Help JACK O'CONNELL, owner of the Loop theatre in Toledo, Ohio, protests the curfew on the ground that an extra three hours of leisure by his employees would not help the war effort The ticket taker, he points out, has no le°-s The usher is 75 years old. Mr. O'Connell said Monday that he would resume his pre-curfew 10 A. M to 4 A M schedule with a double bill swing-shift show' his protests to Government officials having failed. "If shutting down my theatre for one hour would save the life of an American soldier I would close it for a year," he said. His son Sergeant John O'Connell, Jr., is with the American Army in Germany. The case of the Loop theatre has become Hollywood Scene In the Newsreels Managers' Round Table Picture Grosses Shorts at First Runs Page 41 Page 56 Page 63 Page 78 Page 58 What the Picture Did for Me Pag A COOPERATIVE approach to the problem of juvenile delinquency, with theatre managers taking an active part, was suggested last week by George W. Erdmann, secretary of the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors' Association, in a talk to members of the Motion Picture Council. Speaking on "Theatre Behavior " Mr Erdmann suggested that psychiatric clinics be established in public schools. He urged closer cooperation among social service agencies and juvenile courts to improve the behavior of teenage children in theatres. That improvement is needed was indicated in the information supplied by Norman Ek manager of the Shore theatre in Cleveland Mr Ek said that his house, located in one of the better neighborhoods," had been in the grip of a wave of vandalism for some time. During the past year, he reported, more than 500 seats' about one-third of the capacity, had to be reupholstered because of attention from the vandals. The suggestion was advanced that a member of the Parent-Teachers Association be assigned to a neighborhood theatre each Friday night to get the names of offenders. The suggestion was immediately accepted by Fred Holzworth manager of the Hilliard Square theatre; Ray Allison, manager of the Shaker theatre, and bv IN PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION Showmen's Reviews page The Release Chart page somewhat of a cause celebre in Toledo When it remained open until 4 o'clock Monday morning, Mr. O'Connell was certified to the War Manpower Commission by Ralph O. Snyder area WMC director. "The Loop theatre very" definitely will be closed," the official threatened adding that the process involved in closing the house would require a few days. Mr Snyder' said that since the curfew became effective absenteeism in Toledo war plants had shown a marked decrease. Television, Too A Ban Holds THE REQUEST by the government to hold down conventions attended by more than 50 persons is effective. The Office of Defense iransportation announced in Washington that up to March 1 it had granted 53 applications tor Permission to hold group meetings, and had denied 1,278 requests. THE GRIM determination of television, ii face of its current limitations in equipment' outlet, 'to participate in scattering the glad mgs of victory in Europe is indicated in the nouncement by Ralph Austrian, executive president of RKO Television Corporation, ' his company will cover news room activiti'e that great day. The arrangement was r, with the Blue Network. Says Mr. Austri "A crew of camera men will be on cal that the minute the news breaks they will up their equipment regardless of the hour the Blue news rooms and will film interes, scenes transpiring in this major netwo news rooms when one of the world's most portant news events breaks." It is interesting to note that this event be recorded on motion picture film, proces at the RKO Television laboratories and rus to the DuMont telecaster in New York. tl joi 11 x ii it Si K "UNELEGTED GOVERNMENT" (Continued from preceding page) position on matters submitted to the electorate at a public election. The union has demanded the right of determining for its members what their vote must be on matters affecting labour. There is obvious danger in that because the question of what affects labour may easily be construed as anything and everything. Free elections are free elections. There is no equivalent, no substitute. ■ ■ ■ COUNTRY NOTES-Since warplane traffic has taken over the skyway above the Silvermine valley the birds have warily sought other routes. But one pair of mallards, either ob stinately daring or else mad with the call spring, have come again to rear a brood the pond. They talk about it evening a morning, and sometimes the drake raises \ voice in protest when the lights of the la returning motor car sweep his snug harboi Hes a curfew bird at heart and currenl we call him "Jimmy". Also the spri. peepers are abouf in the marsh. They, to talk a lot, but like some people we know, th< always seem to say the same thing. Tl peeper is the most unanimous animal in Co necticut. He has made no progress in mar years, but there are always plenty of peeper He doubtless considers himself a success. H ,S 3,1 Weh -Terry Rams* MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 24, 194 :