Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

hat ? No Pyramids? ITISH film-makers were aghast recently ;n they learned that Gabriel Pascal had left jland for Egypt, taking the Sphinx along ■ him. Mr. Pascal had had packed in 12 atiered sections, the massive sand-colored linx which had been built at the Denham dio for "Caesar and Cleopatra," the Rank :hnicolor film version of George Bernard tw's play. Jr. Pascal is taking his mountain to Manet in order to match the studio scenes wing the Sphinx with the genuine desert eriors. He decided the only way to do that ; to take the working model along to Egypt, actors were included in Mr. Pascal's safari, a double for Claude Rains, who plays Caejoined the caravan and will be photophed for the long shots. Mr. Pascal finished iio shooting on "Caeser" three weeks ago, in estimated cost to J. Arthur Rank of about 160,000, up to the start of the trip to Egypt, tentold of Mr. Pascal's journey to the Nile h his Sphinx, Mr. Rank was reported to e remarked : "We're in for a penny, in for a ind; why spoil the ship for a ha'porth of ?" Some tar ! ir Excellency 3R EXCELLENT service in the line of his fession as a volunteer landing boat officer May 21, 1944," Lieut. Don Terry, USNR, tion picture actor, was decorated last Sunday Admiral R. A. Spruance,.USN, at Harvard iversity, Cambridge, Mass. Mr. Terry had t graduated from the Civil Affairs Far EastDivision of the University. In Hollywood, was most noted for his characterization of on Winslow," daredevil commander in the vy, in a series of pictures for Universal. In the face of great danger from fires and iloding ammunition," the citation continued, : ably assisted in the rescue of survivors of ning vessels. By his professional skill and rageous actions, he contributed in a large isure to the success of the rescue operations. ; conduct gives evidence of his great value the naval service." ?he actor appeared in pictures for Twentieth ltury-Fox, Columbia and Universal, as well on the legitimate stage. He spent nine nths overseas in the South Pacific with the th Amphibious Force. WFs Future MER DAVIS, director of the Office of ir Information, told the British press in ndon Monday that the OWI would "fold after the end of the whole war." He dered that the OWI was ready to begin an ication program for the German people, ed "on the hard facts about what has been ng on in the world for the last 12 years." _ ["he production of films, newspapers, radio igrams and other forms of propaganda were part of the agency's plans for the occupa-i period, he said. He indicated the possibil that the State Department would take over OWI's overseas activities after the war with Japan is ended and reported that OWI outposts in Iceland, Iran and Brazzaville, French Africa, already had been taken over by the State Department. Mr. Davis said he was in Europe for conferences on the coordination of propaganda work to be done in Germany. Hays on Johnston ERIC JOHNSTON, president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, and William Green and Philip Murray, heads of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations, respectively, joined Wednesday in announcing a peace charter for labor and management, intended to prevent industrial strife when the nation returns to a peacetime economy. The charter declares support of private property, free choice of action and the private competitive system of capitalism. At the same time, the document pledges support by capital of the right of labor to organize and bargain collectively and declares that management-labor unity achieved during the period of war production must be continued. A committee of labor and business leaders is to be formed to promote understanding and acceptance of the proposed code of principles. Announcement of the charter was made in Washington for release to the Wednesday afternoon newspapers. Wednesday evening, the office of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Inc., issued for release in Thursday morning papers, a statement by Will H. Hays, MPPDA president, praising the charter. Mr. Hays said it was "a long step in the right direction toward that peace at home so necessary for the maintenance of world peace." Meanwhile, in Hollywood, 78 studio set decorators were still out on strike after two weeks in a jurisdictional argument which culminated Wednesday in the rebellion by IATSE union members. Over the heads of their leaders, they voted support to the strikers, refusing to work outside their own crafts. MARSHALL FIELD, millionaire, publisher and philanthropist, recently opened the front page of his Chicago Sun to amusement advertisements, at $5 per line. He limited the size of the ads to 14 lines on one column and set the rate for amusement ads on inside pages at 50 cents per line. Thus far, the Balaban and Katz circuit in Chicago has taken space in the Sun to exploit "Meet Me in St. Louis," and Essaness for "It's a Pleasure." Fan SERGEANT CHARLES COATES, chief projectionist at the Lockbourne Army Air Base, near Columbus, Ohio, has seen some 90,000 reels. On his nights off, he sees more. He attends the films in Columbus. He sees them in theatres because, he says, he can see them there without interruptions. Bowles Rebuffed EXTENSION of the Emergency Price ControlAct for one year, without the amendment suggested by Chester A. Bowles, director of the Office of Price Administration for the OPA to control film theatre admission prices, was expected to be made Thursday by the Senate Banking and Currency Committee. An indication of the committee's position on the Bowles amendment was given over the weekend by Senator Robert F. Wagner of New York, who said "it is the feeling of many members that there ought to be no amendments to the bill other than to extend the measure." Senator Wagner pointed out it was probable that the committee would limit the extended term of the Act to one year, instead of the 18 months proposed. Meanwhile, in New York Tuesday, Daniel P. Woolley, regional administrator of the OPA, speaking to students of the Bronx High School of Science, New York, asserted that "startling increases" in admission prices to amusements made it necessary for the OPA to seek action by Congress to permit the agency to control ticket prices, especially those of motion picture theatres. "I wouldn't pick on the movies if I thought they were up against it, but they're not, they're booming," he said. Admission prices increased by one-third since May, 1942, Mr. Woolley estimated, adding that the dollar profit of seven major producers, distributors and exhibitors had increased 442 per cent in 1943 over the average from 1936 to 1939. Spring Official KNOWN still as "the greatest show on earth," the circus still blows a lusty trumpet and thumps a resounding tub. And the public prints, amid boxes devoted to advertising omitted, continue to herald it as a fellow traveler with the crocus and the robin. Which is by way' of saying that the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus has left its warm precincts in Sarasota, Fla., and has deposited its 1,000 people and 500 animals for a tenancy of 47 days at the Madison Square Garden in New York, where this week it was probably warmer than in Sarasota. Typical of the restraint of the craft, advance press agents conservatively rated the attraction as slightly stupendous — from the "utterly different" features to music by Deems Taylor. Stanton Griffis and his co-executives expected a hit. Premiums Revived WHEN an appetite sharpened by point rationing disturbs the air waves of phonetics, curious results are inevitable. An incident in Cincinnati last week illustrates the possibilities. Dictating to a new stenographer undertaking her first assignment^ a film exchange manager asked for : "The gross receipts were above average." The transcription played back as : "The grocery seats were above average." Front Page 'TiON PiCTURE HERALD, published every Saturday by Quigley Publishing Company, Rockefeller Center, New York City, 20. Telephone Circle 7-3100; Coble address "Quigpubco, New k." 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, d Editor, Ray Gallagher, Advertising Manager; Chicago Bureau, 624 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, 5; Hollywood Bureau, Postal Union Life Building, Hollywood, 28. William R. □ver, editor; Toronto Bureau, 242 Millwood Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, W. M. Gladish, correspondent; Montreal Bureau, 265 Vitre -St., West, Montreal, Canada, Pat Donovan, respondent; London Bureau, 4 Golden Square, London W I, Hope Williams Burnup, manager; Peter Burnup, editor; cable Quigpubco London; Melbourne Bureau, The Regent Theatre, Collins St.', Melbourne, Australia, Cliff Holt, correspondent; Sydney Bureau, 17 Archbold Rd., Roseville, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia, Lin Endean, correspondent; Mexico City Bureau, Carmona y Voile 6, Mexico City,' Luis Becerra Celis, correspondent; Buenos Aires Bureau, J. E. Uriburi 126, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Natalio Bruski, correspondent; Rio de Janeiro sou, 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; le Argus Montevideo. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. All contents copyright 1945 by Quigley Publishing Company. Address all correspondence to the New York Office. Other gley Publications: Better Theatres, Motion Picture Daily, International Motion Picture Almanac, and Fame. )TION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 31, 1945 9