Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

Sedition? JAMES CAESAR PETRILLO has been getting the action he requested. Florida State Attorney Chester B. McMullen last week investigated Mr. Petrillo's speech to the American Federation of Musicians convention at St. Petersburg. Last week, Mr. Petrillo assailed radio networks and said he would order the musicians, of whom he is president, out of radio stations in key cities if the Lea law is held constitutional. The measure, recently enacted by Congress, forbids the union to force employment of more musicians than deemed necessary by radio stations. Mr. !^IcMullen said Mr. Petrillo might have violated a Florida sedition law. State Attorney General Tom Watson said that '"if any man in this country ever has challenged the constitutional authorities in his attitude, that's the guy." Meanwhile, in Chicago, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents are checking the strike of three record librarians at station WAAF, for possible violation of the Lea Act. At that station, the -AFM had asked that twice as many librarians be employed. Reconverted THE Post theatre at Fort DuPont, Delaware City, formerly an Army post theatre, has been converted for civilian operation and is now open to the public under the same management as the Earle theatre in New Castle, Del. This is believed to be the first Army theatre turned over to civilian interests. Price of Victory VALUES change in relation to time and territory. Two American pictures which during the war scored heavily in American theatres, this week were barred from Berlin. They are "Destination Tokyo," and "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo." The United States Film Control withdrew them, after newspapers there said the films "glorified militarism." One newspaper critic wrote : "It becomes increasingly diflicult to find new explanations why Allied war pictures are different from ours." The Business THE Yugoslav government, which runs a parcel of enterprises, is in the film business. It feels that competition may be inconsistent, or unprofitable, perhaps. Tuesday, it barred Lew Cass, Paramount newsreel cameraman, from the Belgrade court room where General Draja Mikhailovitch is being tried for alleged collaboration with the Germans. It explained to Mr. Cass that it had decided to transfer exclusive filming rights from Paramount to its own film agency. It did offer to pay .^^10,000 for loss of the rights. Labor Meeting London Bureau GEORGE ELVIN, secretary of the Associated Cinema Technicians, speaking at the 4Sth annual labor conference in Bournemouth, Monday, urged that the Labor Party's publicity machinery be overhauled so that a greater use of films would be incorporated in the party's publicity program. He also expressed the view that major newsreel companies could have been persuaded to cover the labor meeting, whereas March of Time was the only American company represented. It was also decided to discuss alleged antigovernment activities by the newsreels sometime this week. Personal Approach JIM BARNES, manager of the Warner theatre, Memphis, wasn't going to let the local newspaper advertising space shortage lick him. Last week, unable to advertise to the extent he wished, he put a crew of girls on the telephones. From A to Z in the telephone directory they called the Memphis public, greeting them thus : "Hello; this is the Warner theatre — due to the newspaper shortage we are calling to inform you of the most outstanding pictures of the year. . . UA^s Cleopatras GABRIEL PASCAL'S production of George Bernard Shaw's "Caesar and Cleopatra" demonstrates rather conclusively the selling powers of a woman. Taking a broad hint from the picture, United Artists has hired a couple of femme fatales of its own and will send a pair of Powers models treking through the country as part of its. national pre-release campaign for the picture. Accompanying the girls on their six-week tour will be a valuable collection of Egyptian jewels. And accompanying the jewels will be a pair of Pinkerton men. The tour starts Monday with Miss Laura Wells appearing in Syracuse and Miss Nancy Hartung in Baltimore. PEOPLE Eric A. Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, who arrived in Hollywood last weekend, was to deliver the commencement address at the University of California Saturday. J. Edward Shugrue, formerly associated with the War Finance Division of the U. S. Treasury, this week was appointed public relations director for the American Theatres Association. He will make his headquarters in New York, and will work under the direction of Arthur Mayer, ATA counsel on public relations. Clarence Derwent has been elected president of Actors Equity in New York, succeeding Bert Lytell. Other officers named were Augustin Duncan, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Dudley Digges and William Harrison, vice-presidents ; Paul Dullzel, treasurer, and John Beal, recording secretary. Harold R. Muntz, of the Century theatre in Detroit, has been elected president of the Cooperative Theatres of Michigan. He has served as director and secretarytreasurer of that organization. Alec Moss, director of exploitation for Paramount, last week received the Certificate of Appreciation from the Greater New York Council, Boy Scouts of America, for his work on behalf of the recent Boy Scout campaign. Harry Goldberg, national advertising director for the Warner Brothers Theatre Circuit, was reelected to the board of directors of the Philadelphia Jewish Community Relations Council, at a meeting Monday night. Laurence Olivier, British actor, Monday received word from Picture Goer in London that he has been awarded that publication's gold medal award for the year for his performance in "Henry V." This picture is now being road-shown. Margaret Furse, head costume designer for J. Arthur Rank Organization in England, arrived in Hollywood Monday, for a two-month visit to study Hollywood methods of designing. Leroy G. Phelps has been engaged as "pool" photographer by the six major television broadcasters participating in a joint tele-coverage of the atomic bomb test in July. T. Keith Glennan, manager, Administrative Services Company, of the Ansco division of General Analine and Film Corporation, has been awarded the Navy Medal for Merit. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, published every Saturday by Quigley Publishing Company, Rockefeller Center, New York City 20. Telephone Circle 7-3100; Cable address "Quigpubco, New York." Mortin Quigley, President; Red Kann, Vice-President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo. J. Sullivan, Treasurer; Leo J. Brady, Secretary; Terry Ramsaye, Editor; Martin Quigley, Jr., Associate Editor; James D. Ivers, News Editor; Charles S. Aaronson, Production Editor; William S. Fornnby, Field Editor; Ray Gallagher, Advertising Manager; David Harris, Circulation Director; Bureaus: Hollywood, William R. Weaver, editor, Postal Union Life Building; Chicago, 624 South Michigan Avenue; Washington, Jim H. Brady, 215 Atlantic BIdg., 930 F Street, N.W.; London, Hope Williams Burnup, manager, Peter Burnup, editor, 4 Golden Square, W. I; Montreal, Stan Cornthwoite, 265 Vitre St., West; Toronto, W. M. Gladish, 242 Millwood Road; Paris, Maurice Bessy and Robert Regamey, 2 Avenue Matignon; Dublin, T. J. M. Sheehy, 36 Upper Ormond Quay; Rome, Argeo Sontucct, 10 Via Versilio; Lisbon, Joao De Moraes Palmeiro, Avenido Conde Valbom 1 16; Brussels, Louis Quievreux, 121 Rue Beeckman; Amsterdam, Philip de Schaop, 82 Jekerstraat; Copenhagen, Kris Winther, Bogehoi 25; Stockholm, Gosta Erkell, 15 Brantingsgaten; Basel, Carlo Fedier, Brunnmattstr, 21; Prague, Joseph B. Konturek, U. Grebovsky No. I; Sydney, Cliff Holt, Box 2608 — G.P.O., Derwent House; Johannesburg, R. N. Barrett, 56 Northwold Drive, Saxonwold; Mexico Cily, Luis Becerra Cells, Dr. Carmona y Voile 6; Havana, Charles B. Garrett, Refugio 168; Buenos Aires, Natolio Bruski, J. E. Uriburi 126; Montevideo, Paul Bodo, P.O. Box 664. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. Other Quigley Publications; Better Theatres, published every fourth week as o section of Motion Picture Herald, Motion Picture Daily, International Motion Picture Almanac and Fame. MOTION PICTURE HERALD. JUNE 15, 1946 9