Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

Paramount Will Release 28 Films^ Reagan Says Paramount will release 28 pictures during the 1944-45 season, Charles M. Reagan, vice-president in charge of distribution, told a regional sales meeting in New York this week. The five-day meeting, at the Hotel Pierre, ended Tuesday, and was one of a series in key cities. The New York meetitig was attended by sales staffs of New York, Buffale and Boston. A modernized "Sign of the Cross", the Cecil B. DeMille production, probably will be among the 28, Mr. Reagan added. Still to come, on the 1944-45 schedule, he said, were: "The Affairs of Susan" and "You Came Along," the first two films from Hal Wallis ; "Incendiary Blonde", "A Medal for Benny", "Out of Thits World", "Murder, He Says", "Scared Stiff" and "One Exciting Night". The advertising, publicity and exploitation departments of the company were doing work as important as any of the other branches of the company, Mr. Reagan said. Advertising and publicity plans were outlined by Robert M. Gillham, advertising and publicity director. Oscar Morgan, short subjects sales supervisor, said that despite raw stock and Technicolor printing problems, the studio was ahead in production ; and that the program of 64 short subjects, including 36 in Technicolor, would be delivered. He praised the newsreels, which, he said, were becoming "more dynamic". The previous day Mr. Reagan predicted that "For Whom the Bell Tolls" would achieve the highest gross in the company's history. He added that popular priced engagements were showing the picture, which had "tremendous" untapped box office strength. Other speakers at the New York meeting were William Erbb, eastern division manager and Claude Lee, director of public relations. Mr. Reagan presented to Max Mendel, New York saleseman, a gold button, and a $3,000 life insurance policy. Mr. Mendel has achieved membership in the company's 100 Per Cent Club, top salesmanship group. Mr. Reagan himself, last week, at the Chicago sales meeting, was lauded by the Rev. John Cavanaugh, C.S.C., vice-president of Noitre Dame, University, of which Mr. Reagan is an alumnus. Notre Dame, proud of its football team, is still prouder of its men of distinction, and Mr. Reagan is one of these. Father Cavanaugh said. Short Product in First Run Houses Two More Field Men Added to Warner Publicity Staff Two additions to the Warner Bros, field public relations staff, making seven men added in the last few weeks, have been announced by Mort Blumenstock, head of advertising and publicity in the east. George Wood, who entered the industry in 1919 with St. Louis Amusement Company and served as district manager of the circuit during its operation by Warner Theatres, has been assigned by Mr. Blumenstock to the St. Louis territory. Daniel Karsch, former radio and advertising man, recently honorably discharged from the Army, will work temporarily in the home office under William Brumberg, in charge of the field exploitation force, before being assigned to a territory. Pacific Theatre Owners To Meet March 13-15 The Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners will hold its annual trustees' meeting in Hollywood March 13-15. Trustees and executive secretaries of the various Independent Theatre Owners units of Washington, Northern Idalio. Alaska, Oregon, Northern California, Nevada, Southern California and Arizona will attend. Martin G. Smith, president of Allied .States Association, will attend as an observer. NEW YORK— Week of February 19 A5TOR: Firsf Aiders RKO Feature: The Princess and the Pirate RKO CAPITOL: Unwelcome Guest MGM King of the Fairways Cofumblo Feature: Guest in the House United Artists CR/T£R/ON: Winged Men of Tomorrow.Universal Have You Killed a Jap Today? .Paramount-W AC Sliphorn King of Polaroo Universal Feature: Here Come the Co-Eds Universal GLOBE: Soddfe Starlet RKO Feature: The Three Caballeros RKO HOLLYWOOD: Stage Door Cartoon. . . Vitapiione Have You Killed a Jap Today? .Paramount-W AC Jammin' the Blues Vitaphone Feature: Roughly Speaking Warner Bros. MUSfC HALL: Springtime for Pluto RKO Feature: Song to Remember Columbia RMLTO: Donald Duck and the Gorilla RKO Feature: Frisco Sal Universal RIVOLI: Dear Old Switzerland 20th Cenf.-Fox Have You Killed a Jap Today? .Paramount-W AC Feature: Keys of the Kingdom 20th Cent.-Fox ROXy. Once Over Lightly Vifapbone Have You Killed a Jap Today? .Paramount-W AC Trolling for Strikes 20tii Cenf.-Fox Feature: Hangover Square 20th Cent.-Fox STRAND: Herr Meets Hare Vifaphone California, Here We Are Vifapbone Have Yoii Killed a Jap Today? .Paramount-W AC Feature: Objective, Burma Warner Bros. CHICAGO— Week of February 19 APOLLO: Dark Shadows MGM Feature: Together Again Columbia G>tRRfCK: Tiie Unknown Battle. . .20th Cent.-Fox Feature: Something for the Boys 20th Cent.-Fox GRAND: Seeing Them ThrougJi RKO-WAC Features: Dead Man's Eyes Universal The Jade Mask Monogram ORIENTAL: Sunday Go-To-Meefing Time Vitaphone Alibi Baby RKO Musical Movieland Vifapfione Outdoor Living Vitaphone Feature: Youth On Trial Columbia PALACE: Barney Bear's Polar Pest MGM Features: The Suspect Universal She Gets Her Man Universal ROOSEVELT: yankee Doodfe Donkey. .Paramount Feature: Objective, Burma Warner Bros. STATE LAKE: The Unruly Hare Vitaphone Feature: Keys of the Kingdom 20th Cent.-Fox UNITED ARTISTS: Trap Happy Porky . .Vitaphone Feature: Mrs. Parkington MGM WOODS: What's Your Name?. 20th Cent.-Fox-W AC So You Want to Give Up Smoking. .. .Vitaphone Aqua-Maids ' Columbia Carnival Rhythm Vitaphone Feature: The Princess and the Pirate RKO Winnipeg Strike Halted Without Settlement The four-day strike of lATSE projectionists which closed 18 theatres in Winnip^ was called off early this week without a settlement being reached in the closed shop dispute, referred to the Canadian Federal Labor Board. Famous Players Canadian Circuit announced full pay would be given the strikers for the time lost. The striking projectionists demanded 10 operators at six other theatres belonging to an independent union join the International local, but they continued to work without complying. Judge S. E. Richards, chairman of the Manitoba Wartime Labor Relations Board, ruled that they had no right to coerce members to change their union affiliation. The union represents operators in six theatres operated by Famous Players Canadian Corporation. Other theatres affected by the strike belong to Western Theatres, Ltd. Motive for the strike was to protest the existence of the rival organization. finding that the defendants in the action brought by the ASCAP had failed to show that the society was a monopoly. The society had sued for performing license fees oil compositions of its members used in theatres operated by the two and by the Berger Circuit. The defendants contended that in assigning rights to their compositions to motion picture producers, ASCAP members did not have the right to collect another fee from the theatres. Louis D. Frohlich of Schwartz and Frohlich, ASCAP counsel in New York, represented the society. Williams Assumes Counsel Post for SCTOA March 1 Paul Williams, former assistant to the U. S. Attorney General, who resigned from the Department of Justice to succeed the late Albert J. Law as general counsel of the Southern California Theatre Owners Association, is expected to arrive in Los Angeles March 1, to assume his new post. Mr. Williams is expected to work toward adoption of Mr. Law's trade conciliation plan designed to simplify the provisions of arbitration under the industry Consent Decree. Mr. Law was negotiating to this end with distributor heads when he died of a heart attack January 2 in New York. Mr. Williams represented the Government in early anti-trust suit proceedings. Increases Number of Negro Musical One-Reel Shorts Following "Ration Blues" and "Rocco Blues." Negro one-reel musical films featuring Louis Jordan and his band and "name" Negro acts, Sack Amusement Enterprises, Dallas, has increased the number of announced releases in the series from six to eight, according to Alfred N. Sack. "HepCat Serenade" is completed and in the cutting room, as the third of the series. Other titles will be "Old Man Mose," "Outskirts of Town," "Fussy Wuzzy," "Toot That Trumpet" and "Harlem Hotcha." One subject will be released every six weeks. Minneapolis Royalty Case Verdict Won by ASCAP Federal Judge Gunner Nordbye this week signed decrees in the U. S. District Court, Minneapolis, directing the Amusement Association Company to pay $2,000 in license fees to the American Society of Composers, .A.uthors and Publishers. Judge Nordbye also ordered Harry Dickerman Theatres there to pay $500 fees after DeVry Gets Contract for Navy Sound Equipment DeVry Corporation, Chiqago, a four-time ArmyNavy "E" award winner, has received a new Government contract for sound equipment for the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps. The equipment specified in the latest DeVry contract is to be used for combined training and entertainment purposes and is additional to the specialized "hushhush" training equipment DeVry has been building for the synthetic training program of the Bureau of Aeronautics, U.S.N. "Don't Fence Me In" Sets Sheet Music Sales Record "Don't Fence Me In," Cole Porter's hit song from Warners' "Hollywood Canteen," has set aj new sheet music sales record for the past 16 years,: according to Harms, Inc., music publishers. Sales' to date are well past 1,100,000, with orders still' coming in. 54 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, FEBRUARY 24, 1945'