Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

Arthur James IN NEWSREELS Dies at 67; Long Arthur James Industry Figure Arthur James, first president of the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers and long a figure in the world of the newspaper and the motion picture in New York, died last Wednesday at his home in Baltimore. He was 67 years old. For the last several years be had been financial editor of the Baltimore News-Post and Sunday American. The funeral was held in Baltimore last Saturday. The board of directors of AMPA at a special meeting last week put on its records a resolution honoring Mr. James' memory and citing events of his career and services to the causes of the industry. He was born in Allentown, Pa., September 25, 1878, and was educated at Germantown Academy and at Bucknell University, where he was a student of law. He was successively on the editorial staffs of the Philadelphia North American, the New York Atn^rican, the New York World and the New York Morning Telegraph. On the Telegraph he became one of the first of the columnists of the show world of Broadway, then "The Great White Way," signing as Beau Broadway. That was in the classic era of the Telegraph, when his contemporaries included the redoubtable "Bat" Masterson, two-gun sports editor, and the celebrated Alfred Henry Lewis of Wolfville story fame. As an incidental activity, Mr. James was also for a while the publicity representative of the Fuller Building at Madison Square, better known as "The Flatiron." With Mutual Film Mr. James came to the motion picture as advertising and publicity director of Mutual Film Corporation, going thence to Metro Pictures Corporation and subsequently to Fox Film Corporation. He also engaged in the journalism of the motion picture in various connections, including the editorship of Moving Picture World and latterly Motion Pictures Today and Exhibitors Daily Reznew. After a considerable period of retirement, in residence at his country place in Westport, Conn., he returned to newspaper work in association with friends in Baltimore. Mr. James is survived by his widow, Mrs. Pamela James, and two adopted daughters, Mrs. Eugene Guenard and Mrs. Harold Moore. They are daughters of the late Henry James, brother of Arthur. — T. R. MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. Z8, No. 77— Army and Navy ready for atom bomb test at Bikini. . . . Railroad strike. . . . Eisenhower visits China and Japan. . . . Evangeline Booth honored. MOVIETONE NEWS— VoL 28, No. 7&-President Truman ends rail strike. . . . Coal strike truce ends. . . . President keeps date with wounded vets. . . . Louis and Conn train for title. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 17, No. 275— Atom bomb drama. . . . Rail strike begins. ... Evangeline Booth honored. . . . Eisenhower in Japan. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 17, No. 276— Truman ends rail strike. . . . Louis and Conn in training. . . . Cocker is top dog. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 78— Railroad showdown. . . . Evangeline Booth honored. . . . Eisenhower visits Japan. . . . Atom bomb test. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 7»-Louis and Conn in training. . . . World's biggest dog show. . . . Days of crises. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 17, No. 80-Rail strike paralyzes nation. . . . Atom bomb test. . . . Eisenhower on Far East tour. . . . Evangeline Booth honored. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 17, No. 81— Louis and Conn. . . . Truman entertains wounded. . . . Railroad strike ends. UNIVERSAL NEWS— Vol. 19, No. 505-Atom bomb tests. . . . Rail strike. . . . Eisenhower in Far East. . . . Miss Booth hbnored. . . . Rocket cars. UNIVERSAL NEWS— Vol. 19, No. 506— Truman takes strong stand on strikes. . . . DDT combats polio. . . . Four of a kind. . . . Sports: Conn and Louis. . . . Dog show. Lou Anger, Former Film Executive, Dies at 65 Lou Anger, 65, associated with Joseph M. Schenck in the film and theatre business for many years, died of a heart attack at his home in Hollywood, Tuesday, May 21. A former musical comedy and vaudeville star, Mr. Anger gave up acting and became vice-president and business manager for Mr. Schenck when he developed the United Artists Theatre Circuit. During the early days of motion pictures, Mr. Anger was a producer of slapstick comedies and developed such comedy stars as Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle, Buster Keaton and Al St. John. He was also widely known in Mexico, where he helped develop the Mexican film industry. Surviving is his widow, Sophye Bernard Anger, a former musical comedy star. W. S. Wilder. Virginia Circuit Operator William Stanley Wilder, 55, operator of seven theatres in and around Norfolk, Va., died of a heart attack at his home, "Greystone," near Virginia Beach, last Wednesday, May 22. In 1928, Mr. Wilder opened his first theatre, the Newport in Norfolk, and in the following years he acquired and built six more. In 1936 he was president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Virginia. Surviving are his wife, two daughters and two sisters. George F. Stuempfig George F. Stuempfig, 87, a pioneer in the industry, died May 23 at his home in Germantown. Pa., following a short illness. He was 87. Mr. Stuempfig operated the first motion picture theatre in Germantown, which he opened in 1908. Shortly afterward he built the Germantown, which he operated until his retirement 14 years ago. Bright Reserves Decision in Writ Plea on 'Outlaw^ Judge John Bright in the U. S. District Court in New York last Friday described Charles Poletti, counsel for Howard Hughes, as "trying to ride two different horses" in maintaining the Motion Picture Association of America was illegal in its socalled "censoring," while at the same time arguing that the Association should not be permitted to withdraw the Production Code Administration seal it has given "The Outlaw." Judge Bright reserved decision on the Hughes motion asking a temporary injunction to prevent the MPA from taking action against "The Outlaw" by possibly revoking the PCA seal granted in 1941, because Mr. Hughes allegedly has continued to use promotional matter rejected by the MPA's Advertising Advisory Council. During arguments between Mr. Poletti and Judge Samuel Rosenman, MPA counsel, a compromise was worked out by the opposing counsel agreeing that the MPA should not be further restrained from telling the public that it does not approve of Mr. Hughes' advertising and that Mr. Hughes is no longer an MPA member, something the Association has refrained from doing on advice of counsel. Judge Rosenman argued that Mr. Hughes had little or nothing to lose in making "The Outlaw" conform to the Advertising Code, while the MPA's entire PCA system would be endangered if Mr. Hughes could restrain the MPA from taking action on withdrawing the PCA seal from the picture. Meanwhile, in Atlantic City, N. J., the Ministerial Association of Absecon Island, meeting at the YMCA, went on record against any contemplated showing of "The Outlaw" in the city. The ministers were told that other organizations there would join them in the protest. William A. Sullivan William A. Sullivan, 55, veteran actor who was a leading man for the old Pathe company before World War I, died May 23 at his home in Great Neck, L. I. He played in many films from 1922 to 1927, including "Billy the Kid" and "The Leather Pushers." He also had been a director and script writer in Hollywood. He leaves a widow, Edith, and a stepdaughter, Mrs. Helen Mesmer of Hollywood. Arliss Estate to Wife George Arliss, film and stage actor, who died February 5 in London, left an estate of $547,600, it was disclosed in London last Wednesday. Except for bequests of $2,000 to his hairdresser, George Jenner, and $1,000 to his secretary, his widow will inherit the entire estate. Mr. Arliss, whose real name was Augustus George Andrews, was 77 when he died. 36 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. JUNE I. 1946.