Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

Shortage of Film Hits UA Release, Says Leserman United Artists has $30,000,000 in pictures awaiting allocation of print raw stock, and completion of production, Carl Leserman, general sales manager, disclosed in New York Tuesday, following his return from California. Mr. Leserman also said that the War Production Board was allowing United Artists control of the use of prints by independent producers whose pictures would be released through United Artists. That control as UA exercised it, would be to enforce normality in print orders, he stressed. The raw stock shortage delaying release of UA pictures also had caused it to lose the projected Fred MacMurray-Leslie Fenton independent picture, he noted. The pair have turned to Columbia for release. UA producers' contracts obligate it to release completed films in order of negative delivery, unless the individual producer desires special later release. The WPB specific allocations for each of the UA producers total altogether approximately as much footage as when UA was allocated its own footage. Thirteen pictures awaiting release are as follows : "The Southerner," "The Great John L.", "Bedside Manner," "Blithe Spirit," "Blood on the Sun," "Caesar and Cleopatra," "Henry V," "Spellbound," "The Story of G.I. Joe," "The Outlaw," "This Happy Breed," "2,000 Women," "Guest Wife." Two films being edited are "Captain Kidd" and "Paris Underground." Producers for United Artists release are not in general seriously affected by the strike in Hollywood, inasmuch as most of them use the General Service Studio, which was not being picketed, Mr. Leserman pointed out. Units of MPPDA Tender Tribute to Mrs. Emrich Some 250 representatives of eastern motion picture preview and study groups, including those of Motion Picture Councils, National Board of Review, Daughters of the American Revolution, General Federation of Clubs, International Federation of Catholic Alumnae and Protestant Church Women, paid tribute to Mrs. Jeannette W. Emrich, Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of American secretary to these groups, for her efforts in creating better understanding of films and their production techniques, at a luncheon at the Town Hall Club in New York Monday. Dr. Daniel A. Poling, pastor of the Baptist Temple, Philadelphia and editor-in-chief of The Christian Herald, was guest speaker. Tribute was also paid at the luncheon to the memory of the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The industry's contributions to morale of the armed forces and its possible role in the peace were also cited. Tod Promoted by Blumenstock Ted Tod, head of Warner's midwest field exploitation staff, has been promoted by Mort Blumenstock, in charge of advertising and publicity in the east, to district representative for the midAtlantic territory. Mr. Tod's new post will embrace the publicity and exploitation activities of the Washington, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh exchange areas. For the time, Mr. Tod's former duties in Chicago will be assumed jointly by Lucia Perrigo and Stanton Kramer. Jacobson Rejoins 20th-Fox Sergeant Leon Jacobson, recently discharged from the Army Air Forces, has returned to his former post as a member of Twentieth CenturyFox's press book department. He replaces Roger Lewis, also a discharged veteran, who has been promoted to the publicity department under Jules Fields, where he will be coordinator of New York theatre advertising, publicity and exploitation. 38 Short Product in First Run Houses NEW YORK— Week of April 16 ASTOR: First Aiders* RKO Feature: The Princess and the Pirate RKO CRITERION: Two-Way Street WAC Rough and Tumble Columbia Rippling Romance Columbia Feature: Between Two Women MSM GLOBE: Draftee Daffy Vitaphone Birds and Beasts Were There Vitaphone Feature: This Man's Navy MGM HOLLYWOOD: I Won't Play Vitaphone Rhythm of the Rhumba Vitaphone Unruly Hare Vitaphone Two-Way Street WAC Feature: The Corn Is Green Warner Bros. MUSIC HALL: The Eyes Have It RKO Feature: Without Love MGM PARAMOUNT: Two-Way Street .WAC At the Zoo Paramount Isle of Tabu Paramount Feature: Practically Yours Paramount RIALTO: Who's Who in Animal Land? .Paramount Unusual Occupations Paramount Feature: Two O'Clock Courage RKO R/VOLf: Two-Way Street WAC Bombalero Paramount Feature: The Affairs of Susan Paramount ROXV: Post-War Inventions 20th Cent.-Fox Steppin' Pretty 20th Cent.-Fox Two-Way Street WAC Memo from Britain 20th Cent.-Fox Feature: A Royal Scandal 20th Cent.-Fox STRAND: Congo Vitaphon Glamour in Sports Vitaphci Trap Happy Porkie Vitaphci Two-Way Street WA Feature: God Is My Co-Pilot Warner Bro i CHICAGO — Week of April 16 APOLLO: Lulu at the Zoo. Paramom Land of 70,000 Lakes 20th Cent.-F( Feature: A Song to Remember Columb. &ARRICK: Life With Feathers Vitaphot The West Coast Question RK Feature: Hangover Square , .20th Cent.-F GRAND: Fury in the Pacific WAC-Wam Features: Experiment Perilous RK I What a Blonde RK i ORIENTAL: Port of Missing Mice. .20th Cent.-F ' Sooby Dupes Columb Two-Way Street ...WA Feature: Leave It to Blondie Columt PALACE: Fury in the Pacific W4C-Worn Features: Sudan Univer: I'll Remember April Univer ROOSEVELT: Behind the Meatball Vitapho Feature: Hotel Berlin Warner Br. STATE LAKE: I Won't Play. Vitapho Feature: National Velvet MG UNITED ARTISTS: Gabriel Churchkitten Paramd'u Feature: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn 20th Cent.-F WOODS: Rough and Tumble Cofumb Ain't We Got Fun Vitapho Feature: It's a Pleasure RK Associates Charity Dance Will Be Held June 6 The 26th Annual Charity Dinner Dance, under the sponsorship of the Motion Picture Associates will be given June 6 in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, it has been announced by Morris Sanders, president of the organization. One of the highlights of the affair will be the presentation of the first award for distinguished service in motion pictures during the past year. George J. Shaefer, national chairman of the War Activities Committee and chairman of the board of Lester Cowan Productions, will be honored with the first plaque. 1 i k Jenkins theatres in a publicity and exploitatij m capacity, has been signed to assist Herbert Picj (s man, who has charge of field activities for t Atlanta, New Orleans and Charlotte territoriii |a with headquarters in Atlanta. Richard Stephe: at present working in the Cincinnati area, tal over the Buffalo exchange territory effect April 30. Schedule Screening Dates On Three MGM Pictures MGM's "Thrill of a Romance," originally scheduled for trade showing only in Los Angeles and New York May 22, will be screened for all exhibitors in all exchanges on that date. "Son of Lassie" was trade shown in all areas April 19, except Boston and St. Louis, where screenings were scheduled April 20. "The Valley of Decision," shown in New York and Los Angeles April 6, will be shown in all other areas April 24, with a repeat showing in Los Angeles on the same date. Texas Red Cross Drive Collection $331,367 Total collections for Texas during the reo Red Cross campaign were $331,367 with t theatres reporting, marking an excess of $70,( over the previous year, according to a report Don Douglas of Robb & Rowley Theatres Dallas, and state co-chairman of the industr drive. This year's total represents both audier collections and corporate gifts. Of this amou Interstate Circuit's 160 theatres reported $185,2f Robb & Rowley's 59 theatres, $33,939; Jeffers1 Amusement Company's 57 theatres, $26,467 ; R. Griffith Theatres reporting $18,000 in 58 hous1 Independent exhibitors and other circuits co1; " pleted the totals. Arthur Mayer To Red Cross Assistant Chief Add Three to Warner Field Publicity Staff Three additions to the Warner Bros, field public relations staff, and two re-assignments, have been made by Mort Blumenstock, head of the company's advertising and publicity department in the east. Allan Kohan, formerly working out of Seattle, has been assigned the Cincinnati-Cleveland-Indianapolis territories, with headquarters in Cincinnati. Working under him will be a new field staff member, Ira E. Epstein. Ed Benjamin, former New York newspaperman and publicist, also recently discharged from military service, has joined Warners as field representative for the Detroit area. J. D. Woodard, long identified with Lucas & Arthur Mayer, former assistant coordinator the War Activities Committee and film consult; to the Under Secretary of War, was named ass tant to Basil O'Connor, chairman of the Amerk Red Cross, Wednesday. Mr. Mayer joined * Red Cross organization last autumn as depi commissioner of the Pacific Ocean areas and v in Hawaii until early this spring. He will let New York soon on a European tour to sti? opportunities for additional Red Cross service; the armed forces following the conclusion of European phase of the war. Collects Record Red Cross Sum A total of $16,778 was collected during the l| Red Cross Drive by the seven Trans-Lux theat in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Washii ton, for a record of $5 per seat, Norman Els vice-president, reported this week. The previi year $14,138 was collected. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 21, I 'J