Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

SCREEN STILL CI FAVORITE FUN Overseas Branch Reports 39% of Men Attend 560 Daily Screen Showings The film-going habit acquired by many in the armed forces during the war years is continuing as one of the Army's major forms of entertainment. According to a report from the War Department's Technical Information Branch in Frankfurt, Germany, 86,000, or more than 39 per cent of the 220,000 American servicemen in the European theatre attend Army sponsored film showings daily. This compares to the nine per cent of the American people now attending theatres every day and the eight per cent daily attendance in pre-war years. 560 Showings Daily The report further indicates that there are approximately 560 showings every day, according to figures compiled by Theatre Special Services. Approximately 45 per cent of the audiences attend theatres showing 35mm pictures in the larger cities and military communities, while the remainder of this audience is reached by 16mm showings in the more isolated units and towns. During July alone there were approximately 8,619,000 admissions to the various Special Services activities. Figures based on this circulation show the average soldier in Europe was present at 26.4 events during that month. Athletics led with the largest percentage, 36.7 per cent participation, and motion pictures were second with 29.3 per cent. Soldier shows, tours, service clubs, libraries, music and handicraft classes accounted for the remainder. Gordon C. McFarland, New York representative of the Army Motion Picture Service, said recently that his office was completing reconversion from a war to a peacetime basis and expected to have a policy of paid admissions at 35mm showings in all overseas theatres. During the war and until recently many of the film showings were provided to servicemen without charge. Replacing 16mm with 35mm The Service also is replacing 16mm equipment with 35mm as rapidly as possible and where practicable, under a plan to furnish entertainment for soldiers in fewer but larger theatres. At the height of the war the Army had a total of approximately 1,250 theatres in its domestic circuits, which have been reduced to 377 currently operating. In overseas theatres 45 16mm prints on each picture are required in contrast to 138 prints provided during the peak of the motion picture industry's gift-film program. Recently the New York truck strike and the shipping strike held up shipment of motion picture film to the European Theatre, according to the Theatre Special Service division. However, this had no serious effect on the distribution of overseas prints, since the Army exchanges had sufficient undistributed product to bridge the gap. Currently the overseas exchanges are receiving such new product as "Rendezvous With Annie," "Scandal in Paris," "Monsieur Beaucaire" and "Black Beauty." Color Cartoon First Picture Handled by Film Alliance The first film to be released by Film Alliance of America, Inc., a newly formed national distribution organization which will handle 16mm product, will be "Brotherhood of Man," an animated color cartoon made by United Productions of America. The picture is due for special previews and release in December. Other films on the release list are "A Year of Freedom," a Czechmade documentary with a commentary by Maurice Hindus, and an untitled picture on atomic energy. Both will be available in January. Thomas J. Brandon is executive director of the organization, which expects to handle a minimum of 12 pictures a year or two films a month. Brandon films will distribute Film Alliance product in the New York and New Jersey area. Some of the pictures will be 35mm and special deals will be made for their theatrical distribution. Hellman Elected Chief Barker Of Albany Variety Club Neil Hellman, of the Hellman theatre interests in the Albany and Troy, N. Y., area, has been elected chief barker of the Albany Variety Club for the year beginning December 1. Other officers chosen were: Welden Waters, first assistant chief barker ; Harry Lamont, second assistant chief barker ; Joseph Saperstein, treasurer, and Eugene Lowe, secretary. The Albany tent is currently conducting its campaign to raise funds for summer vacations for underprivileged children. 36 Television Permits Granted Since Spring During the next 18 months television service, currently available in four states, will be extended considerably as a result of additional commercial construction permits issued by the Federal Communications Commission. The latest figures show that 36 applications have been granted since last spring, to as many applicants for new television stations in 19 states, extending from Rhode Island southward to Kentucky and westward to San Francisco. Screen Extras Lose Jobless Insurance Benefits Fight The California Supreme Court November 27 confirmed a decision of the Los Angeles District Court of Appeals which said that J screen extras were not eligible for unemployment insurance benefits unless they make themselves available for film work at j the lowest rate of pay — $5.50' a day. The appellate court's original ruling came \ in a test case filed by all the film-producing j studios against the California Stabilization | Commission, which had granted unemploy | ment benefits to 11 screen extras, thus caus j ing the levying of large assessments against J the studios to> cover, in part, the benefits paid | the extras. In a role of intervenor the Screen Actors , Guild claimed the extras were entitled to the insurance because they were employees tem j porarily out of work. The studios countered j with the assertion that the 11 extras could not be classified in view of the fact they had I worked an average of 23 years, earning in j termittently no more than an average of $10 , a week. McGraw-Hill Producing 27 Educational Films The McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, has announced its entry into the educational film field, with production started on 27 sound motion pictures and a like ' number of silent film strips to supplement the company's text books. The films are to be sold by the company under the trade name of McGraw-Hill Text-Films, and are being produced by Audio Productions, Inc., Caraval Films, Inc., and Pathescope Company of America, all of New York City. Albert J. Rosenberg, recently appointed manager of the text-film department, is supervising j production of the films. California Teachers' Unit Studying Delinquency The Parent Teachers Association is launching a statewide investigation in California in an effort to correct the unruly conduct of juveniles in theatres. The unit is formulating a program whereby parents will aid in the situation by informing the theatre manager when such conduct comes to their attention. The unit has also asked the cooperation of theatre managers. Both the California Theatres Association and the Southern California Theatre Owners Association are studying the problem. Toledo Variety Club Is Granted Charter A charter has been granted the Toledo Variety Club, it was announced last weekend by R. J. D'Donnell, national chief barker. The first year officers are :. Jack Lykes, chief barker; Jack O'Connell, first assistant; Marvis Harris, second assistant ; Milt Karloff, property master, and Burt Schoonmaker, dough guy. The six canvasmen are : Jack Armstrong, Jiles Robb, Steve Toth, James Dempsey, Paul Heuter and Curly Posen. 30 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 7, 1946