Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

oew's Reports 1X2,878,242 Net or 12 Weeks rloew's, Inc., had net profit for the 12 weeks cd November 23, 1944, of $2,878,242, or $1.71 < ,' share, as compared with $2,796,861, or $1.67 '< share, for a corresponding period the previous t|r, David Bernstein, vice-president and treasur reported last weekend, ^fhe company's share of operating profit after ;»sidiaries' preferred dividends, was $7,030,831 npared to $7,449,332 for the same 12 weeks the -ar before. Profit before Federal taxes was $5,|,156 as compared with $5,688,715 in 1943. Re-ve for Federal taxes was $2,339,914 in 1944, and ,891,854 in 1943. :The statement gives effect to revision of the few-MGM film amortization table applicable to _;:tures released after August 31, 1944. This region of the amortization table, recommended by rp company's accountants and adopted by the [ferd of directors, is based upon the company's ost recent film income experience. Under the newly adopted table, the cost of pieces released after August 31, 1914, will be amorred to the extent of 44.8 per cent at the end of weeks instead of 56.9 per cent as formerly ; ij.7 per cent at the end of 24 weeks instead of •4 per cent as formerly; 85.1 per cent at the end 36 weeks instead of 86.6 per cent as formerly ; r per cent at the end of 52 weeks, the same as rmerly ; 100 per cent at the end of a year and a Jf, against 98.4 per cent as formerly. Allocation cost will continue to be charged 75 per cent domestic (including Canada) and 25 per cent foreign as heretofore. Under the previous table of amortization the >mpany's net profits after taxes for the 12 weeks ided November 23, 1944, would have been $2,54,242. Goldstein Named to Board )f Springfield Y. M.C. A. Nathan E. Goldstein, president of Western assachusetts Theatres, Inc., has been elected a ember of the board of directors of the Springrid Y. M. C. A., it was announced recently, [r. Goldstein is associated with many civic and icial organizations and is the regional director war activities for the theatres of western [assachusetts, and a director of the Springfield hapter of the American Red Cross, of which : is a member of the nominating committee. Ian Open Air Theatre i Maritime Province The first open air theatre in the Maritime Provces is being established in Fleming Park, a iburb of Halifax, N. S., by Mrs. Margaret Mari. The City Council has approved her applica)n but will retain supervision and control through e Park Commission. Mrs. Martin is now buyg equipment and expects to start operations >out the middle of May and continue through :ptember. Varner Contract List at lecord High of 199 A new high mark for talent under contract was dicated in the latest personnel list issued by Earner Bros., showing a total of 199 under term ;als with the studio. There are 30 stars, 50 feared players, 23 artists engaged for special films, ! directors, 31 writers, 13 producers and four imposers. Thirty additional personalities are in ie armed forces. ' leads Chamber for Sixth Year John P. Masters, city manager in Bowling reen, Ky., for Crescent Amusement Company, is been reelected president of the Bowling Greenbarren County Chamber of Commerce for the xth consecutive year. "PRINCESS AND PIRATE" ARMY FAVORITE "The Princess and the Pirate" was the most popular film in 1944 among members of the armed forces in the U. S. and certain continental bases, as reflected by attendance at Army theatres, according to the U. S. Army Motion Picture Service. The 10 most popular pictures from a box office standpoint were, in the order named, as follows: 1. "The Princess and the Pirate", Goldwyn-RKO. 2. "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo", MGM. 3. "Arsenic and Old Lace", Warner Bros. 4. "Since You Went Away", Selznick-UA. 5. "To Have and Have Not", Warner Bros. 6. "Bathing Beauty", MGM. 7. "Going My Way", Paramount. 8. "Pin-Up Girl", 20th Cent.-Fox. 9. "Up In Arms", Goldwyn-RKO. 10. "Kismet", MGM. It has been the annual custom for the Army Motion Picture Service to compile information on the film tastes of the armed forces. American War Heroes Visit Western Electric Plants Seven American soldiers who took part in the fighting at Bastogne, the little Belgium town which held out against overwhelming German odds, during which time General Anthony C. McAuliffe made his now famous reply to German demands to surrender, visited four New York City plants of Western Electric Company March 7. They told employees of battle experiences and outlined the Army's need for equipment. Their talks were under the joint auspices of the Second Service Command and the Western Electric Kearny Works Labor-Management War Production Committee. Variety Club Contributes to Baltimore Boys' Club The Variety Club of Baltimore, Tent No. 19, is contributing $2,500 to a second Boys' Club. Ten such projects are on the calendar of the Juvenile Protective Bureau of the Police Department of Baltimore. Frank H. Durkee, chief barker of the Baltimore tent, reports that the Philadelphia Variety Club is planning to help finance a similar program in that city. Columbus House To Come Down The Majestic theatre, Columbus, Ohio, will be torn down soon after the end of the war and will be replaced by a department store to be erected by H. L. Green Company. Built about 1912 by the late Max Stearn, pioneer Columbus showman who died recently, the Majestic for vears was one of the outstanding film theatres in Columbus. Smith RCA Research Aide Dr. Lloyd Preston Smith, professor of physics at Cornell University and a leading authority in the field of electronics, has been appointed associate research director of RCA Laboratories, Princeton, N. J. It was announced by F. W. Engstrom, research director. Dr. Smith's appointment fills a vacancy caused by the death of B. J. Thompson, who was killed in action last July. Mexico Resumes Full Production After Union Fight Production in Mexico, suspended for 29 days because of a labor conflict, has been resumed following the Labor Ministry's recognition of a new union composed of six sections that broke away from the pioneer National Cinematographic Industry Workers, it was disclosed Mondav. The new accord was held up about a week when four of the units objected to an alleged attempt at domination by the other two. The latter included actors headed by Cantinflas, (Mario Moreno) comedian, whom Fidel Velazquez, chief of the Confederation of Mexican Labor, accused of using the players unit as a "beachhead" to indicate production procedure. Mr. Moreno said that he sought merely to protect actors from being pressed into a "back seat" by the aggression of other labor groups. Because of the labor complications, as well as an acute raw stock shortage, Mario del Rio and Jesus Gil, Jr., producers, have been planning to make pictures in Venezuela, and it was said that others might follow in a shift to other parts of Latin America. V Gen. Juan F. Azcarate, prominent producer, has the largest stock set collection in Mexico, which is available to all producers and is helping them out considerably in the raw stock shortage situation. He is the former commander of the Mexican Army Air Force and was Mexico's last Minister to Germany. V Fire recently destroyed the Cine Palacio, leading theatre of Aguascalientes City, capital of Aguascalientes State. There were no casualties. The loss was estimated at $100,000. V Bias Chumacero, an official of the Confederation of Mexican Workers, Mexico's most important labor organization, has given producers what he considers to be a good tip ; that they should emphasize modern Mexico instead of Mexico of another day in their productions. Mr. Chumacero thinks that pictures already have given the past of Mexico enough attention. V The industry's own bank, the Banco Cinematografico, S.A., made an excellent start this year, the seventh it has operated, granting loans and credits totaling $1,517,500 up to Jan. 31. V John Steinbeck is here supervising production of his work, "The Pearl of Peace." Inaugural Banquet Planned By Grand Rapids Club An inaugural banquet will be held in mid-April by the newly formed Variety Club of Grand Rapids, Tent 27, at which the recently elected officers will be inducted. The officers are : Jack Stewart, chief barker ; Walter Norris, first assistant ; G. L. Wilier, second assistant ; Frank Kleaver, property master ; Leo J. Robinson, dough guy ; The canvasmen are : George Sampson, Syd Chapman, Herb Schilds, Naman Frank, Harold Hedler and Emmett Roche. The tent was launched February 25 with a membership of 40, of whom 26 are chapter members. Club rooms at the Platlind Hotel, Grand Rapids, were to be formally opened Thursday. Radio Tieups Exploit Paramount Musical An extensive series of radio tieups on coast-tocoast networks currently is exploiting Paramount's "Bring On the Girls," musical comedy in Technicolor. R. M. Gillham, advertising and publicity director, announced recently. Continuing since last January, the radio publicity is building toward the Easter holiday release of the film and will continue into the summer. The promotion chiefly is in connection with guest appearances of the film's stars, Veronica Lake, Sonny Tufts, Eddie Bracken and Marjorie Reynolds. IOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 24, 1945 55