Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

BYRNES BURNS, BUT R°y Ro%ers Joim IT'S 1 A.M. IN GOTHAM Army June 1 Storm of Protest Gathers as Mayor Stands Firm on "Tolerance Hour" Broadway's first run theatres were staying open until 1 A.M. this week under special dispensation of Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia. New York's fractious first magistrate decreed an "hour of tolerance" in his regular Sunday afternoon broadcast, March 18, and although he did not cite his authority for the move, the city's entertainment industry assumed he had it. Monday the storm broke in Washington, where after 24 hours of silence, War Mobilization Director James F. Byrnes disavowed the action, but admitted that he lacked a "police force" to deal with Mayor LaGuardia's defiance. Mr. Byrnes also made it clear that he still wanted his "request" for a midnight amusement curfew observed throughout the nation. At a press conference Tuesday, President Roosevelt backed up the Brynes curfew but tacitly admitted that there was nothing he could do to compel its observance in New York City. The City Council of New York, meanwhile, reverberated Tuesday with denunciations of the Mayor for his extension to 1 A.M. of the closing hour. Defies Byrnes' Refusal Mayor LaGuardia's decree flew in the face of Mr. Byrnes' refusal, made 16 days previously in Washington, to approve a 1 A.M. closing for New York. Mayor LaGuardia also spent last Friday in the capital, but what connection that visit had with his dramatic announcement Sunday was not clear. The "hour of tolerance" also abrogated the local midnight closing hour which the Mayor himself jammed through the New York City Council last month. "The Government," Mr. Byrnes said Monday, "does not intend to withdraw its request for places of entertainment to close at midnight." He added tartly that the measure had the full approval of President Roosevelt. Mr. Byrnes continued: "I still ask the full cooperation of all local officials and of the public in support of this request. In those instances in which local officials report violations the Government will apply those sanctions which are available for the purpose." Move Surprises Byrnes The War Mobilization Director expressed "surprise" at Mayor LaGuardia's unique action, and put New York in a class by itself, in contrast with reports from other big cities throughout the country that they will continue to observe the midnight closing. Mr. Byrnes said that he expected managers of entertainment establishments would continue to comply "patriotically." Meanwhile, it was pointed out that the entertainment industry in New York had been placed in the position of obeying Mr. Byrnes "request," in effect since February 26, and losing extra trade, or of following the Mayor's 1 A.M. closing and being subjected to the manpower and other penalties provided for violators. In originally announcing his "request," Mr. Byrnes said that violators would be liable to a denial of labor ceilings, and that the War Production Board, the Office of Defense Transpor tation and the Office of Price Administration were told to "use their powers to the full extent consistent with the law in assisting the War Manpower Commission." In the Senate Monday, Senator Styles Bridges, New Hampshire, bitterly condemned Mayor LaGuardia's action and called upon Mr. Byrnes to close up amusement places in New York at midnight or lift the curfew throughout the country. "The Senator," Mayor LaGuardia said, "is right. The 1 A.M. curfew should be permitted in the entire country. While the amendment of the curfew was received with wide approval by New York's entertainment industry, strong, outspoken opposition to the mayor's move was voiced in the City Council there by Councilman Hugh A. Quinn who called the mayor's action "utter disregard for his oath of office" and suggested that impeachment proceedings might be in order. Needed Local Assistance Mr. Byrnes Monday admitted that controversial enforcement of the curfew in New York without the support of local officials would be impossible. "Any effort to this end would divert from the war effort," he added. Mr. Byrnes insisted, however, that "there have been no change in the conditions" which brought about the curfew, describing it as "a series of conservation measures designed to save coal, manpower and transportation." On the conservation aspect of the measure, the first figures on the possible coal saving were reported Monday by the Consolidated Edison Company of New York. A survey taken since the curfew went into effect, Consolidated said, indicated an annual saving of "about threetenths of one per cent." That, the company said, would amount to 13,000 tons of coal a year. At 1 A.M. curfew would limit the saving to 9,500 tons a year. Meanwhile, many Ohio situations, and those just across the line in adjoining states, will move the clock to Eastern War Time, April 1. with others making the change later in the month. Time Change To Have Effect However, the communities which retain the present Eastern Standard Time will observe the midnight curfew one hour later than the adjacent towns where the time change has been made. This, it is believed, will tend to attract considerable theatre patronage to situations where the extra hour prevails, particularly on Saturday and Sunday nights. In its bulletin of March 14, Allied States reported that a referendum on the curfew disclosed that very few Allied members would be affected by Mr. Byrnes' midnight closing "request," and the directors did not feel that any protest should be made. However, much indignation among members was expressed against placing film houses in the same category as sports arenas, saloons, pool parlors and such, Allied said. Republic's Roy Rogers, who drew more cus mers to motion picture theatres during 1944 th| any other Western star, according to the MotiI Picture Herald-Fowi^ poll of exhibitors, will inducted into the Army June 1, the studio a nounced Tuesday. Mr. Rogers, who had 1 physical examination last Saturday at Hollywo< has one picture in work, "Man from Oklahomzjl which is expected to be completed during tj period of his deferment. Early in April M Rogers will begin a tour of Army hospitals. His next release will be "Bells of Rosarita," nq finished. "Utah" was released Wednesday. Mr. Rogers had two guest spots in "Brazil" an "Lake Placid Serenade," recent Republic musical Other films in which Mr. Rogers appeared tq season were "Lights of Old Santa Fe," releasi in November; "San Fernando Valley," Septen ber; "Song of Nevada," August. He also aJ peared in "Yellow Rose of Texas," released J June, and "The Cowboy and the Senorita," May. PRC Promotion Units to Coast; Blair Resigns With the arrival in New York Monday of Dol McElwaine, PRC's national advertising-publicitl director, from Hollywood, and the decision tl transfer the company's eastern department to thl studios in Hollywood, Harry Blair, eastern direJ tor, has resigned. All eastern press and promJ tional activities are involved in the transfer, tl effect a concentration at the studios, with the conJ .Hi. maintaining only one exploiteer at the Nei York office. British Film Industry Pays $1 18,000,000 in Taxes Entertainment taxes paid to the British Govern ment by the film industry during the nine month ended December 31, 1944, totaled $118,000,000, th Treasury's financial secretary revealed in th House of Commons last Wednesday. This com pared with $18,000,000 received from all othei forms of entertainment, he said. Other types o taxation paid by the industry are not included it the figures. Canteen Enters Third Year The second anniversary of the Silver Screer Canteen was celebrated by executives and em ployees of New York's motion picture companie! and members of the armed forces March 21 at the Fraternal Clubhouse in New York. The Canted is sponsored by the Screen Office and Profession al Employees Guild and the Screen Publicist Guild, both UOPWA-CIO. Stars of stage screen entertained. Capt. Robert Cohn Gets D.F.C. Robert Cohn, son of Jack Cohn, executive vicepresident of Columbia Pictures, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and has beea promoted to captain in the Army Air Force, according to word received by his father from the War Department. Captain Cohn, now stationed in the Philippines, has been overseas since February, 1944, and has received two Air Medals. Lieut. Hode on Leave _ Lieut. Stanley F. Hode, son of Hal Hode, executive assistant to Jack Cohn, vice-president of Columbia, has returned to this country for a 30-day leave following active service on the Western Front. Lieut. Hode, a first lieutenant in the Army I Air Corps, has been overseas for the past 21 months and has seen action on the continent since D-Dav. To Rebuild Kentucky House The War Production Board has notified Kermit C. Stengel, president of Rockwpod Amusement Company, of permission to rebuild its house in Guthrie, Ky., recently destroyed by fire. The new theatre will seat 400. Show "Horn Blows" April 2 "The Horn Blows at Midnight," starring Jack Benny, will be tradeshown nationally by Warner Bros. April 2, Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager, has announced. It is scheduled for general release late in April. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 24, 1945