Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

(Continued from page 49) reissue from Warner Brothers didn't jell here, probably due to the time of the year. It is good entertarament, though, and in places where young people predominate, it ought to register well. Played Sunday, Monday, Dec. 17, 18.— Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. Small town patronage. THE CONSPIRATORS: Hedy Lamarr, Paul Henried —This is one of the best espionage pictures that we have run. It grips you all the way. The night photography was too dark as so many pictures that have night scenes. I don't see why the producers don't tumble to this and light them so that the action can be followed better. It could not hurt the illusion of night to put just a little more lighting in all night scenes.— A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. DESPERATE JOURNEY: Errol Flynn, Ronald Reagan— Too much snow. The patrons had a desperate journey. Played Monday, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 19.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Canada. Short Features Columbia TEN PIN ACES: World of Sports— A fast-action reel about bowling with Bill Stern calling the shots. This went over very well on a Saturday playdate. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer DANCING ROMEO: Our Gang Comedy— The little kid with the "froggy" voice decides to impress a girl with his dancing ability, and the results add up to pleasant entertainment for young and old alike. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. IMMORTAL BLACKSMITH: Passing Parade— Our audience enjoyed this very much. — ^Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. WHAT'S BUZZIN', BUZZARD?: Technicolor Cartoon —The subject material is nothing to write home about, but its execution is excellent, and if your audience is not too critical, it ought to please, as it did here.— Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, Paramount EGGS DON'T BOUNCE: Little Lulu— A really pleasant cartoon in color which pleased all of our people. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. HALFWAY TO HEAVEN: Musical Parade— A tworeel musical in Technicolor which is just a little short of the high mark set by the others in this series. It ought to do all right with a dramatic feature. Pleased them here.— Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. MONKEY BUSINESS: Speaking of Animals— A monkey reel all the way and we found it an excellent short for a Christmas playdate, when we were expecting a lot of children. — ^Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz "Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. Twentieth CenturyFox BRITISH IMPERIALISM: March of Time— Twenty minutes of classroom study for the audience in case they missed the beginning of the feature and must remain; otherwise, the best exit music I've had on the screen in weeks. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. DOG SENSE: Sports Review— Very good, but snow very bad. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont. FUN FOR ALL: Sport Review— Bathing beauties under the water; girls on skiis and ice-boats on the lake all added up to a nice 10 minutes of entertainment here. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz. Vita phone BLUENOSE SCHOONER: Sports Parade— Disappointed in this one. Color very poor. — A. L. Dove, Bengough Theatre, Bengough, Sask., Canada. HARE FORCE: Bugs Bunny Special— Yes, it is a good comedy.— Edward H. Belz, Community Theatre, Athens, Wis. New Lesser Unit to Spend Five Million in 1945 Tha formation of a new Sol Lesser Productions, Inc., has been completed with Sol Lesser as president ; Louis R. Lurie, vice-president; and Jean Hersholt, Mendel Silberberg and Michael Rosenberg on the board of directors. The new corporation is capitalized at $1,000,000. Mr. Lesser announced in Hollywood last weekend that he would spend $500,000 on pictures and stage plays during 1945. He is releasing through United Artists. UA Officials Hold Dinner For Silverstone United Artists home office executives, producers and their representatives were hosts January 3 to Emanuel Silverstone at a testimonial dinner at Toots Shor's Restaurant in New York. Mr. Silverstone left his position as assistant to J. J. Unger, western division manager, to become special representative of United Artists foreign department. He will leave shortly for overseas. Among the home office executives in attendance were : Edward C. Raftery, Gradwell L. Sears, Carl Leserman, Edward Schnitzer, Mr. Unger, Harry Gold, Harry Buckley, Paul Lazarus, Sr., Walter Gould, Tom Mulrooney, Harry Muller, Sam Lefkowitz. Jack Ellis, Charles Steele, Phil Dow, Jack Wrege, Charles Goetz, Eddie Mullen, Walter Liebler, Harry Schroeder, Lou Pollock, Bernard Kamber, Rex Williams, James Dunn, Herb Berg, Major Monroe W. Greenthal and S-Sgt. Paul Lazarus, Jr. Also Jules Levey, William J. Heineman, Lowell Calvert, David E. Weshner, Seymour Poe, Budd Rogers, Archie Mayer, Bernie Kreisler, Harry Kosiner, Schuyler Wilson, Sol Krugman, Robert Montgomery and Dan Frankel. Universal Budgets $200,000 For 1945 Radio Promotion Universal has budgeted $200,000 to promote its important productions by radio during 194S, Maurice A. Bergman, eastern advertising and publicity director, announced last week in New York. In 1944, the company spent $120,000 in radio for its films and $60,000 in 1943. Mr. Bergman emphasized there would be no curtailments in newspaper adveitising during 1945 unless dictated by the publishers because of newsprint shortages. Universal planned to experiment in certain kinds of stunt advertising in radio this year, he said. He reported the growing preference of film advertising managers for local radio campaigns of spot announcements to promote new films rather than company network shows. J. Walter Thompson, advertising agency, is handling the company's survey of the field of radio advertising. Phili ppine Battle Picture In National Release "Brought to Action," the official Navy account of the battle of the Philippines, was released on January 11 through the Office of War Information and the War Activities Committee. The tworeel subject, which features authentic Japanese film, combines combat footage from the Navy. Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Army Pictorial Service and Army Air Forces. United Artists will handle national distribution, and MGM will distribute in five cities. Colunnbia Talent Search Extended Nationally The contest originated by Columbia Pictures in cooperation with many stations of the Columbia Broadcasting System to discover an amateur dramatic actress for screen work will be extended to all sections of the country. Termed the "George Sand Memorial Talent Search," it will coincide with showings of "A Song to Remember," which deals with the life of the Nineteenth Century feminist. Wrege Named Unger Aide J. F. Wrege, formerly playdate manager for United Artists, has been named assistant to J. J. Unger, western division sales manager for UA. Mr. Unger replaced Emanuel Silverstone, who joined the company's foreign department in an executive capacity. John Hughes, Mr. Wrege's assistant, has succeeded him as playdate manager. Mr. Wrege has been with UA for 18 years. Albert Feature Producer Arnold Albert, former assistant, to Gordon Hollingshead, chief of Warner Bros, short subject production, has been promoted to feature producer by Jack L. Warner, executive producer, the company announced last week. 1 i Bankers Act for \ 1 Rank in Canada Representatives of Canadian banking and indi trial interests were elected Tuesday to represe J. Arthur Rank on the board of directors of Ge eral Theatres Corporation, the holding compa for Odeon Theatres of Canada, in which Mr. Ra| holds a 50 per cent interest. 1 The four directors elected to represent "3 shareholders of GTC are R. V. Lesueur of Tc onto, D. C. Coleman of Montreal, John Davis \ London and A. L. W. Brockington, of Ottawa. Newly elected officers of General Theatres wj will represent "A" shareholders are Paul j Nathanson, president and managing director, \fl is president of Canadian Odeon ; T. J. Bragg . Toronto, vice-president and secretary-treasureij George H. Beeston of Toronto, comptroller, arli J. E. Lawson, of Toronto, general coimsel. Mr. Lesueur is president of Imperial Oil, Ltd' and director of several Canadian companies incluij ing the Montreal Trust, Confederation Life A| I surance Company, Kirkland Lake Gold Minini and North Canada Mining companies. Mr. Col(J |, man is president of the Canadian Pacific Railwa| ' chairman of the board of Associated Screen New| Ltd., and director of the Bank of Montreal, Con solidated Mining and Smelting and a number ^| other industries. Mr. Brockington is legal reprt! sentative for Mr. Rank in Canada. Mr. Davis i| managing director of Odeon Circuit of England iL . addition to managing Mr. Rank's intemation? theatre interests. I Nathanson-Carson Form Partnership; To Expand Paul L. Nathanson, president of the Odeo; Circuit of Canada, announced in Toronto Tuesda; the formation of a partnership with A. I. Garso of St. John, N. B., for the development of circuit of Odeon theatres in the three Maritim I provinces. Mr. Garson will be in charge of opera tions. I Building sites have been purchased in eigh cities in the Atlantic zone, including Sydney, Str John, Halifax, Amherst, Campbellton, Glace Bay New Waterford and Charlottetown. I Mr. Nathan and Mr. Garson have completecj the purchase of the theatre assets of Fred Winteii and F. H. Sumner, Moncton, N. B., comprising the Capitol and Express theatres and two theatr( sites. Mr. Garson controlled the Garrick and Ox' ford in Halifax and the Kent at Moncton, whiU Odeon had the Casino in Halifax and operatet] the Capitol and Empress at Moncton. ' National Radio Cannpaign j To Launch Warner Film y The biggest national radio spot announcement! campaign undertaken by Warner Bros, to date in launching the general release of a film will get under way next week in connection with "To Have and Have Not," it was announced Monday by, Mort Blumenstock, in charge of advertising and.; publicity in the east. The campaign will use lead-l ing stations in approximately 100 key cities withi 25 broadcasts scheduled over a period of three' weeks. Estimated cost of the campaign is $100,000. Install Film Board OfRcers \ Henry Randel, Paramount branch manager, and; other officers of the New York Film Board of; Trade were installed Wednesday night at the home of Louis Nizer, attorney and executive secretary. ' Other officers, all of New York exchanges, are : j Clarence Eiseman, Warner Bros., first vice-presi-i dent ; Joseph J. Felder, Monogram, second vice ■ president ; David Levy, Universal, treasurer ; • Robert Fannon, Monogram, secretary, and Ralph ' Pielow, MGM, sergeant-at-arms. Puchalski Cited Posthumously Private William PucKalski, formerly of the Calvin theatre, Northampton, Mass., has been honored posthumously with the Presidential Citation for exceptional bravery. He was killed at Guadalcanal in August, 1942. 52 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 13, 1945