Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

THIS WEEK IN THE NEWS Kilroy 's Here THAT MYTHICAL soldier, Kilroy, who chalked up "Kilroy Was Here" all over the face of Europe, is going to have his screen biography done. And there's more than one — more than two — companies interested in doing it. In fact there's a big scramble to register the title "Kilroy Was Here." It appears that Arthur Kelly was the first to register the title with the Motion Picture Association and so he has first call on the title. But other companies have also registered for subsequent priorities, among them Paramount, RKO, Warner Brothers, Liberty Films and Astor Pictures. Further, the Dick Hyland-Sid Luft Production Company is reportedly preparing a picture with a similar title. Now it's up to some enterprising talent scout to uncover the original Kilroy. Premiere Fever THE PREMIERE FEVER began to rustle about Atlanta last weekend as Hollywood sent its agents in to prepare the way for the premiere of Walt Disney's "Song of the South." Among the first to arrive — and Disney personnel continued to arrive all week — was the voice of Donald Duck, Claience Nash. "Ducky" came to town with a quack here and a quack there and finally settled down at the miniature Disney studio built in the Belle Isle Arcade. Then Disney's animator, Fred Moore, and his sketch artist, Dick Mitchell, arrived at the Arcade to give free shows. Next to arrive were two more Disney voices, Pinto Colvig, who does Goofy, and Adrianna Caslotti, the voice of Snow White. This Saturday, Luana Patten and Bobby Driscoll, child stars of "Song" were to arrive. Mr. and Mrs. Disney and Ruth Warwick, also featured in the film, are to arrive Sunday. The world premiere is to be held Tuesday at the Fox theatre. Booking Dispute THE ASTOR, one of Broadway's biggest first runs, Was the object of a full-sized squabble this week among United Artists, David O. Selznick and Samuel Goldwyn, all of whom had definite ideas on what picture was going to follow UA's "Caesar and Cleopatra." Up to Tuesday UA had confidently expected that its "The Strange Woman" would open Tuesday and so advertised it. However, the picture did not open. "Caesar" stayed. UA wanted the "Woman" in to keep the screen open for Mr. Selznick's "Duel in the Sun." Mr. Goldwyn, who distributes through RKO, wanted an RKO picture to show at the Astor to keep the screen open for his "Best Years of Our Lives." All of MAJORS ask shorts rental rise to match cost spiral Page 13 LONDON storms theatre for British-U. S. Command Performance Page 14 MAJORS hit roadshow ban; MPTOA asks arbitration in decree Page 23 HOLLYWOOD strike emphasis now shifts to wage demands Page 26 CHICAGO circuits recognize white collar union organization Page 26 SERVICE DEPARTMENTS Hollywood Scene Page 32 In the Newsreels Page 39 Managers' Round Table Page 53 IN PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION Showmen's Reviews Page 3297 Short Subjects Page 3298 CALIFORNIA cities hit exhibition in search for new revenue Page 36 TWO equipment organizations hold annual meeting in Toledo Page 38 TICKET numbering system must remain as is, Government rules Page 39 NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT— Notes on industry personnel across country Page 42 LOEWS acquires seven new theatres in Latin America Page 48 Picture Grosses Page 49 Short Product at First Runs Page 52 What the Picture Did for Me Page 46 Short Subjects Chart The Release Chart Page 3299 Page 3310 this jockeying for position started two years ago when Mr. Goldwyn and Mr. Selznick agreed to provide features for the house. Caught in the middle of the dispute, the Astor management reportedly professed to know nothing of a picture called "The Strange Woman" and said "Caesar" would continue. According to a statement from UA the "Woman" was booked "in good faith," but it "did not open solely because of a disagreement in basic policy and playing time." Rank Unlimited J. ARTHUR RANK is going into the cosmetic field, having formed a new company called Odelmar whose stated functions are the manufacture and distribution of beauty preparations. Two factories in South London belonging to a concern known as the Elephant Chemical Company have been acquired by Mr. Rank, who plans to service the whole of his studio makeup departments therebv. Reds to Blame London Bureau THE COMMUNISTS are to blame for the Hollywood strike in the opinion of Thomas J. O'Brien, general secretary of the National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employees. The British labor leader and Member of Parliament recently returned to London after a visit to New York and Hollywood and there expressed his opinion that there are too many unions operating in the American film industry. He said that Richard Walsh, head of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees will visit England next Spring with a view toward studying the British trade unions. Film and Taxes TO SHOW how 39 per cent of the money taken in at the theatre box office goes to the Government in taxes, the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association will produce in London a six-minute short to acquaint audiences with admissions taxes. The decision to produce the short, says a London source, was made in "view of the Government's expressed reluctance to reduce the entertainment tax levy." Justice Powers WILLIAM T. POWERS, general attorney for 20th Century-Fox, Tuesday went from the counsel table to the New York State Supreme Court bench. A Republican, he received 828,104 votes. Justice Powers will preside in the second district, comprising Kings, Queens, Richmond, Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Forty-nine, Mr. Powers was born in New York, graduated from West Point in 1918, and served overseas in the cavalry. Graduated from Fordham in 1923, he was admitted to the bar in New York in 1924, in California in 1933 and the U. S. Supreme Court lists in 1940. In World War II he served in the Pacific. He has been with 20th-Fox 14 years. 8 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 9, 1946 '