Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

'raveltalk LOBE-TROTTING emissaries of J. Arthur ank are en route again with mercurial ispatch, favored with British Government ansportation priorities. John Davis, manag\g director of Odeon Theatres and Mr. Rank's ibinet minister on theatre matters, left Lon3n last Thursday for Cairo on the first lap ■ a journey designed to secure theatre outlets pr Mr. Rank's films in Africa and the Near ast. His itinerary will extend to Palestine id then to Rhodesia and other sectors of outh Africa. Several mouths ago, E. T. Carr, managing rector of Eagle-Lion Distributors, made the 'iburney to the Far East to open the negotiaons which Mr. Davis apparently will conude. Mr. Carr was in Paris recently, for le second time, and is now conferring with [r. Rank in London on the final details of a stribution agreement with a major French 'rcuit, reportedly Gaumont. Mr. Carr will . ke off for Sweden shortly, on a similar Rank lission, and then may go to Russia, jl Mr. Davis hopes to obtain an "association" i[r Rank in the ownership of an existing South Jlfrican circuit and may also secure building iltes for new theatres. He also will explore \q. possibilities of financing local production. ^ooks and Films Wed ^ROSSET AND DUNLAP, book publishing jrm, is convinced the films are here to stay, or more than 20 years the company has been jiblishing low-priced editions of novels on hich important films were based and has cre:ed new books from original screen stories, ast week, however, it finally got around to jtablishing, officially, a motion picture departient. Bernard Geis, editor of Coronet and • Isistant editor of Esquire, will head the dertment, as of February 5. He will work rectly with film studio heads and shortly will to Hollywood to plan a scheme of motion cture books. Last November, Harper & (Tothers, Little, Brown and Company, Book-the-Month Club, Random House and Scribrs took over control of Grosset and Dunlap, e largest reprint publishing house in the conny. John O'Connor is president of the new ganization. In the process of reorganization, mebody discovered motion pictures. 'One World Awards WARDS to the industry, press and radio will given Ferbuary 18' at the "One World" dinr honoring the birthday of the late Wendell Willkie, at the Hotel Astor, New York. The imerican Nobel Center, Inc., is sponsoring the ent. Darryl F. Zanuck, vice-president in large of production for Twentieth Century5x, will receive the film industry award for s production of "socially significant motion ctures," including "Wilson," "Grapes of rath" and "Public Enemy." Brigadier Genal David Sarnoff, president of Radio Corporion of America, will be the recipient of the dio award for his "expansion of radio as a edium of popular education and entertain ment." Kent Cooper, executive director of the Associated Press, will be presented with the press award for "his 30-year crusade for freedom of international news exchange." Mrs. Hjordis Swenson, chairman of the "One World" dinner committee, who also was chairman of the recent Nobel Anniversary Dinner, announced the awards would be given annually "to perpetuate the ideas and ideals of men and women whose efforts toward world unity are an inspiration to mankind." Jinx Year HOLLYWOOD'S production year, ended August 1, 1944, was a jinx, insofar as Lloyds of London was concerned. The underwriters, according to an insurance report issued by the company recently paid the unprecedented sum of $800,000 during the year to American film companies for production stoppages due to injury or sickness of players and directors. The payments not only resulted in an overall industry loss to the insurance company but brought material increases in protective rates in subsequently written policies. During the year payments included: $151,000 to David O. Selznick, for postponements of production on "Since You Went Away," because of an injury suffered by Robert Walker and the illnesses of Claudette Colbert and Jennifer Jones; $107,000 to Hunt Stromberg, for disruption of the production schedule on "Guest in the House," when director Lewis Milestone was hospitalized; $90,000 to Samuel Goldwyn, delay in production when Danny Kaye injured his leg; $81,000 to Columbia, on "The Desert Hawk," for a production halt when James Ellison fell from a horse and was injured ; $38,000 to Samuel Bronson on "Jack London" because of injuries sustained by the star, Michael O'Shea. Suspect JOSEPH C. ANSELL, vice-president and treasurer of Ansell Brothers Theatres in St. Louis, was awakened by police in the early hours of the morning one day last week and told that his automobile which had been stolen two days previously had been recovered. Unmindful of the cold and snow he hastened to Police Headquarters, recovered the car and was happily on his way home when the sound of a police siren crowded him to the curb. Despite his protests he was arrested for driving a stolen car and taken back to headquarters where he finally succeeded in explaining the facts to the desk sergeant just in time to shave and report to his office. Correction WILLIAM HOLLANDER, Balaban and Katz Circuit publicity head, changed General Douglas McArthur's immortal phrase "I shall return" to "I will return" in exploiting Warner's short "Pledge to Bataan," at B&K's Apollo, Chicago. Mr. Hollander says he feels that the re-phrasing gives the promise more action. Cited for Merit TWO FORMER motion picture industry executives have recently received citations in the armed forces. Brigadier General Edward P. Curtis, formerly sales manager of Eastman Kodak, now chief of staff of the U. S. Eighth Air Force, has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for "extraordinary services." He received a like citation, the Croix de Guerre and Order of St. Anne in the first world war when he served as a major in the Air Force. He was named to his present position in 1943. Colonel John Boettiger, at one time assistant to Will H. Hays, president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Inc., has been awarded the Legion of Merit for "exceptionally meritorious conduct" in Italy. Before he entered the service he was publisher of the Seattle, Wash., Post-Intelligencer. He is the husband of Anna Roosevelt, daughter of the President. The citation pointed out that Mr. Boettiger went ashore with the first Allied troops to land in Italy and "displayed coolness and executive ability in looking after Allied military government personnel and supplies under enemy fire." Lt. Mooney Wounded FIRST LIEUTENANT Paul C. Mooney, Jr., a former member of the staff of Motion Picture Herald, was wounded in action in Belgium January 7, the War Department has notified his family. Lieutenant Mooney joined Quigley Publication in 1934 and was a member of the Herald staff until March, 1943, when his commission in the Reserve Corps was activated. He received his first lieutenancy six months later and was sent overseas with an infantry division in November, 1944. Any Old Equipment? AN APPEAL to exhibitors has been made by the Milwaukee Public Museum for old motion picture equipment. The museum wants to establish a permanent exhibit of this material. Theatre managers are being asked to search their attics and basements for any old equipment and to ship whatever can be salvaged for the exhibit with pertinent information about the article, to Director McKern of the Milwaukee Public Museum, 8th and West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, or to Louis Orlove, MGM exchange, 736 West State Street, Milwaukee. The museum will credit the manager. Schaefer to Cowan GEORGE J. SCHAEFER, chairman of the War Activities Committee and former president of RKO Radio Pictures, Inc., will become vice-president of Lester Cowan Productions, it was reported Wednesday. Negotiations were said to be under way for Mr. Schaefer to acquire an interest in the production company, which has a distribution deal with United Artists. Mr. Schaefer was president of RKO from 1938 to 1942 and has been chairman of the War Activities Committee since 1941. ipTIpN PICTURE HERALD, published every Saturday by Quigley Publishing Company, Rockefeller Center, New York City, 20. Telephone Circle 7-3100; Coble oddress "Quigpubco, New •irk." Martin Quigley, President; Colvin Brown, Vice-President; Red Kann, Vice-President; Theo. J. Sullivan, Secretary; Terry Ramsoye, Editor; Jannes D. Ivers, News Editor; William S. Formby, Ipld Editor; Roy Gallagher, Advertising Manager; Chicago Bureau, 624 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, 5; Hollywood Bureau, Postal Union Life Building, Hollywood, 28. William R. .paver, editor; Toronto Bureau, 242 Millwood Rood, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,, W. M. Gladish, correspondent; Montreal Bureau, 265 Vitre St., West, Montreal, Canada, Pat Donovan, Irrespondent; 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, I Cormona y Voile 6, Mexico City, Luis Becerra Celis, correspondent; Buenos Aires Bureau, J. E. Uriburi 126, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Notolio Bruski, correspondent; Rio de Janeiro |eau, R. Sao Jose, 61 C. Postal 834, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Alfredo C. Mochado, correspondent; Montevideo Bureau, P. O. Box 664, Montevideo, Uruguay, Paul Bodo, correspondent; ■ble Argus Montevideo. Member Audit Bureou of Circulations. All contents copyright 1945 by Quigley Publishing Compony. Address all correspondence to the New York Office. Other I igley Publications: Better Theatres, Motion Picture Doily, International Motion Picture Almanac, and Fame. DTION PICTURE HERALD, FEBRUARY 3, 1945 9