Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

WLB Orders All IN NEWSREELS Blood and Sweat Coast Strikers to Return to Work The National War Labor Board Wednesday ordered the striking Hollywood studio workers to return to work immediately, declaring the walkout of March 12 "a flagrant disregard of labor's no strike pledge." The board telegraphed its demands to Herbert Sorrell, head of the Conference of Studio Unions, and Ed Mussa, business representative of the striking set 'decorators. It also called on the leaders of other striking unions to cooperate in bringing an early end to the strike. The Screen Publicists' Guild on Monday voted to resume their posts after receipt of a warning telegram from producers. The Screen Office Employees Guild, faced with injunction proceeding filed in the Superior Court by producers, disregarded the pro-strike advice of its president and business manager in voting to return. The Screen story Analysts, expecting producers to file for an injunction against them, voted to go back to work, but promised their continuing support of the Set Decorators' position. Work was proceeding on 23 productions, and the strikers said that the real pinch would be felt when the time comes to launch new pictures for which sets were not prepared before the walkout. Local 1421, the striking Set Decorators' union, together with the painters' and carpenters' unions, said that no IATSE or other union was able to supply workmen eligible and competent to build sets. Projectionists Not To Strike Herbert Sorrell, Conference president, declared Monday night that "the lines now are clearly drawn," and indicated his confidence that the strike will be won. IATSE vice-president Carl Cooper repeated president Richard Walsh's assurance that he had no present intention nor reason to call out the projectionists. However, Mr. Walsh Tuesday told the press that it "makes no difference if the WLB does attempt to intervene. We won't obey its order anyway." Last Friday, the fifth day of the strike arising out of the jurisdictional squabble between the Conference of Studio Unions and the IATSE over Local 1421, Mr. Walsh withdrew his threat, made earlier in the week, to call out projectionists if the producers yielded to the Conference. At midweek, none of the producers, Mr. Sorrell or Mr. Cooper would venture to predict when the strike would end. Reports that George W. Zinke, assistant disputes director of the War Labor Board, was undertaking to arrange a three-sided conference with a view to ending the strike proved groundless. The Screen Writers Guild and the Screen Directors Guild, who joined last week in urging all parties to sit down together around a conference table, Monday reported that "nobody responded to our suggestion." Sorrell Defies Green Last Friday, Mr. Sorrell telegraphed defiance to William Green, American Federation of Labor head, who had demanded that Mr. Sorrell "cease and desist from using the name of the AFL in connection with the strike, which I disavow," and had called for immediate termination of the walkout in favor of reliance upon Governmental agencies to settle the dispute. The producers filed their petition last Friday in the Superior Court asking an injunction against the Screen Office Employees Guild, out since the previous Tuesday, to prevent "further violation of the no-strike clause" in its contract. Although similar action against the Screen Publicists Guild and the Screen Story Analysts was possible, no such move was made. The producers did, however, telegraph to the SPG that they were preparing an appeal to the War Labor Board to compel the publicists to observe their no-strike clause. The National Labor Relations Board last week completed hearings to determine whether there should be a review of its action in certifying Local 1421 as the set decorators' bargaining agency. MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 27, No. 57— First supply convoy to China over Ledo-Burma roads. . . . Halsey task force hits Jap life line in China Sea. . . . Victims of Japs. . . . Stettinius states plans for world security council. . . . War leaders at the front. . . . Death of a German industrial city. . . . Germany learns meaning of war. MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 27, No. 58— Strafing in Tokyo. Victory on Iwo Jima. . . . U. S. Army engineers on ruined French railroads. . . . Hollywood spotlights Motion Picture Academy awards. . . . Paris hat stylists find a way despite lack of material. . . . Eastern champions of Golden Gloves meet in New York finals. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 16, No. 255— Latest film of Rhine front. . . . Eisenhower with army. . . . Churchill inside Germany. . . . Victory for Tito as Partisans and Reds liberate Yugoslavia. . . . Americas united for peace. . . . Bilibid Prison victims. . . . U. S. fleet hits Japs in China Sea. . . . Chinese hail Yank miracle— Ledo road open for business. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 16, No. 256— U. S. carrier planes attack Tokyo. . . . Latest film of Iwo Jima battle. . . . Year's top film stars honored with Academy Award Oscars. . . . Yanks fighting in Alps. . . . WACs in Paris preview latest spring hats. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 58— War chiefs at front hail climax. . . . Manila tragedy— films prove Jap brutality. . . . Baseball gets green light. . . . Russia's Balkan front. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 59— Top movie stars of 1944 honored. . . . Ticket to Tokyo. . . . Iwo Jima victory. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 16, No. 60^Yanks drive to the Rhine. . . . First films of liberation of Belgrade. . . . Stilwell Road pushed through to China. . . . American nations sign Chapultepec pact. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 16, No. 61— Navy planes smash at Tokyo. . . . Marines raise flag on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima. . . . Crosby and Bergman win Academy Awards. UNIVERSAL NEWS— Vol. 18, No. 381— Allies open final drive on Germany. ... A city dies. . . . Freed from living death in Jap prisons. . . . Flirting with danger. . . . Let's learn peace trades. UNIVERSAL NEWS— Vol. 18, No. 382— Carriers hit Tokyo. . . . Old Glory flies over Iwo Jima. . . . 'Twas a great day for the Irish. . . . Rafferty wins mile race. ALL AMERICAN NEWS— Vol. 3, No. 126— Girls turn out shells at Washington Navy Yard. . . . Labor Relations League meets in Chicago. . . . Elks' leader pledges help of lodge to OPA. . . . Urban League helps discharged "GI's." . . . Negro athletes star in big ten track meet. . . . Gen. Marshall visits 5th Army sectors in Italy. Famous Players Announces Six New Appointments Frank M. Gow has been appointed district manager in charge of Famous Players Canadian theatres in British Columbia. The appointment is one of a series announced last week by J. J. Fitzgibbons, president, following a meeting for the British Columbia district. Maynard S. Joiner, manager of the Capitol, Vancouver, has been promoted to district manager of downtown Vancouver and Victoria theatres ; Charles Doctor, manager of the Dominion, takes 6ver the Capitol; David Borland of the Capitol, Prince Rupert, takes Mr. Doctor's place at the Dominion; Harry Black goes from the Capitol, Penticton, to Prince Rupert. Frank Kershaw, who has been in charge of downtown Vancouver and Victoria theatres, goes to the home office in Toronto to take over management and supervision of Central Theatre Supply Company, Famous Players' subsidiary for theatre supplies and equipment. Plans were being made, Mr. Gow said, for the construction of theatres in Chilliwack, Kelowna and Prince George. In addition, there would be considerable activity in Vancouver when the war ended, he added. Uswetsky and Quinn Leave Balaban for Exhibition Russ Uswetsky and Dan Quinn, respectively head booker and comptroller of the H. & E. Balaban Circuit in Chicago, have resigned to enter the exhibition field. They have taken over the Webster theatre, Chicago neighborhood house, for Steve Chapin. Joe Feulner, former manager of the Des Plaines theatre, is new head booker for Balaban. Milt Levy, who was promoted to Mr. Quinn's post, was expected to resign this week to operate the Music Box, formerly owned by the LaskeBrothers. Of Pacific War Stark in "Fury" "Fury in the Pacific," a 20-minute subject which the Navy and the Marines show more vi\ ly than in any picture yet released the blood ; sweat and sheer power of the island fighting the Pacific, was previewed Tuesday for mot picture industry leaders and newspapers. The V Activities Committee and representatives of I * combined services responsible for its making fj. ranged the screening. ViceAdmiral T. S. Wilkinson, Commander . the Third Amphibious Force, talked to the au i: ence before the showing. He was one of the le; ers in the operations against the islands of Pelei W and Anguar, with which the picture is concern The Japanese are hardy, fanatical and coi ageous, and will fight to the last, Admiral Wilk son warned. He urged that the public continue war effort after victory in Europe because tl effort will be needed against the Japanese. He ( clared that the high losses suffered in island opei \tions need not be sustained on large land mass 1 where it is possible to outguess the enemy landing and out-maneuver him in fighting. ] referred in this connection to the ultimate landi in Japan. "Fury in the Pacific" describes preparations i1 the capture of the two islands, the airstrips which were needed to protect the subsequ< Philippines invasion. Highlighted are the bor | bardments, aerial and offshore, in immensity a ferocity. Quickly then occurs the landing, in many a: phibious craft, and the Japanese begin killing c men. The conditions of jungle war obtain f many days and the variety, barbarity, and inte sity are shown in many scenes. In the photoerap ing of these scenes ten cameramen of the ere of 39 under Commander Bonney M. Powf USNR, were casualties. The variety of actic rich in detail, was obtained for use in a brief minutes from 580 different scenes. Inescapably part of the detail is the killing our men, suddenly, brutally, in all manner action. Its repetition is depressing, but that is pa of this new approach. The picture, made by cameramen of the cor bined services, released by the Office of War I formation, through the War Activities Committc began distribution to theatres Thursday throu§ Warner Brothers. _ Commander Powell, and Captain Gene Marke director of Navy Photographic Services, also spol at the screenings. At luncheon in the Hotel Astor the same da tendered by leaders of the film industry to tl Admiral and Mrs. Wilkinson, high officers of tl' Navy were present, and many from film compar home offices. Among the latter were Jack Coh , N. Peter Rathvon, Spyros Skouras, J. Robe Rubin, Joseph Bernhard, John J. O'Connor an others. F. E. S. I 31 $1,000,000 Post-War Theatre Planned for Los Angeles Following the end of the war a $1,000,000 Mel. ropolitan theatre will be erected in Los Angele: according to Sherrill C. Corwin, vice-president o the Metropolitan Theatres Corporation, now opei ating a group of eight theatres in downtown Lc Angeles. A 50-year lease has been obtained, ac i i cording to Mr. Corwin, with rentals totalin" $1,100,000. The new theatre will seat 1,500. RKO Radio Pictures Sets Dates For Five Trade Screenings The national trade screenings of five RKC Radio pictures will be held in the company's 3. exchange centers April 16, 17, 18 and 19, it wa announced last week by Robert Mochrie, genera sales manager. The pictures are "Those Endear ing Young Charms," "China Sky," "The Bod: Snatcher," "Tarzan and the Amazons" and "Zom bier on Broadway." MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 34, 1945