Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

Disney Plans 2 Features a Year The Walt Disney studios will deliver two combination live action animation pictures a year in addition to the regular shorts output of about 18 films annually, a Disney spokesman said in New York last week. Features slated for release this year are "Fun and Fancy Free" and "How Dear to My Heart." Others, still in the story stage, are "Alice in Wonderland" and "Peter Pan." "Fun and Fancy Free," starring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Dinah Shore and the two child actors Luana Patten and Bobby Driscoll, consists of two parts, welded together by the Jimminy Crickett character. Part one is a version of "Jack in the Beanstalk" and part two features Dinah Shore in the story of "Bongo," the little circus bear. "How Dear to My Heart," adapted from Sterling North's story "Midnight and Jeremiah," stars Burl Ives and Bobby Driscoll. "Little People," which is to present stories taken from Irish folk lore, will not be ready for release until 1950. Mr. Disney is considering films for the educational field, the spokesman said. The average length will be one reel and many will be offered for theatrical distribution. The first such picture is already finished. It deals with music fundamentals. Other reels of this kind, dealing with educational subjects in basic manner, but off the conventional track, are planned. In addition, it is understood that the Army may turn back to Mr. Disney the many educational shorts he made for the Government during the war. These pictures cover not only military subjects, but also themes of civilian interest such as health and weather conditions. Continue Sunday Films Despite Legal Fight Theatres in the Allentown, Pa., area continued to show Sunday films last week as the result of a court refusal to permit groups, challenging the validity of Sunday referenda in Hellertown and. Northampton, to amend their bills in equity. Heading the move against Sunday films, Rev. A. E. Schellhasse, president of the Hellertown Ministerial Association, and Rev. Harold M. Young, of Northampton, challenged the 1945 elections in their respective boroughs, which showed a large majority of the voters in favor of Sunday motion pictures. Sunday pictures were shown in the area after November and December, 1945, when, following a legal battle, the Northampton County Court dissolved a preliminary injunction it had granted, restraining the county from certifying election results. Close Circuit Deal William Heineman, general sales manager for the J. Arthur Rank division of Universal, has announced a deal with Charles Skouras and Edward Zabel for all Rank product to play in all National Theatres houses where Universal-International pictures are now being shown. Short Product in First Run Houses NEW YORK— Week of December 23 CAPITOL: Henpecked Hoboes MGM I Love My Husband, But MGM Feature: The Secret Heart MGM CRITERION: Community Sing, No. 4 .Columbia Feature: Temptation Universal HOLLYWOOD: Lazy Hunter Warner Bros. The Hare Grows in Brooklyn. . . .Warner Bros. Feature: Humoresque Warner Bros. PALACE: Bowling Fever RKO Feature: Song of the South RKO RIALTO: Old Sequoia RKO Feature: The Overlanders ...GFD Rf VOL/: The American Cop. . . .20th Cent.-Fox The Snow Man 20th Cent.-Fox Feature: My Darling Clementine. . . 20th Cent.-Fox ROX1T: Jail Break 20th Cent.-Fox Sons of Courage 20th Cent.-Fox Feature: The Razor's Edge 20th Cent.-Fox STRAND: America, the Beautiful .Warner Bros. Gay Antics Warner Bros. So You Want to Save Your Hair .Warner Bros. Feature: The Verdict Warner Bros. WINTER GARDEN: Juvenile Jury .. .Universal Feature: Wicked Lady Universal CHICAGO— Week of December 23 CHICAGO: Queens of Court Paramount Renovated Columbia Feature: Cockeyed Miracle MGM GARRICK: Jasper's Derby Paramount Feature: My Darling Clementine. . . . 20th Cent.-Fox GRAND: Melody Time. RKO Feature: Nocturne RKO ROOSEVELT: Soviet's Neighbor — Czechoslovakia 20th Cent.-Fox Feature: Gallant Journey Columbia STATE-LAKE: Mousemerized Cats.Warner Bros. Feature: Deception Warner Bros. UNITED ARTISTS: Equestrian Quiz MGM Feature: Three Wise Fools MGM File $1,350,000 Damage Suit Against Nine Distributors Nine producers and distributors were asked damages of $1,350,000 in a suit filed by the Duluth Theatre Corporation and the Lyceum Building Corporation of Duluth in Minneapolis Federal District Court late last week. The defendants were charged with violating the Sherman and Clayton antitrust acts by conspiring to withhold first run films. The plaintiffs charged that the defendants had refused to grant the Lyceum theatre in Duluth licenses to show feature pictures until after the films had been exhibited at competing houses operated by Minnesota Amusement. Ben Berger is president of both complaining corporations. Defendants include Minnesota Amusement Co. ; Paramount, Loew's, RKO, 20th-Fox, United Artists, Universal and Warner Bros. According to the complaint, the Lyceum was forced to reduce prices and was unable to compete with other Loop theatres in Duluth. It is further claimed that losses in revenue since August 1941, when the present management took over the theatre, amounted to $1,350,000, with the estimate based on a comparison with a previous period when the house was operated by Minnesota Amusement. $1,500,000 Given to Charity By Variety Club in 1946 Variety Clubs of America spent $1,500,000 for charity in 1946 and expect to spend $2,000,000 in 1947, William McGraw, executive director, said last week in a talk before members of St. Louis Tent. No. 4. "The St. Louis tent has done a fine job modestly," he said, adding that "in the 13 years since it was organized, its work has states from Maryland to Louisiana. Establishing New Florida Circuit Booking offices for r. new circuit, composed of a number of theatres of Florida State Theatres, are expected to be established in Atlanta. The new group will be headed by B. B. Garner, Florida State's general manager, and Marion Talley. It is understood Florida State will dispose of a good many of its units about the first of the year. The circuit now operates 107 houses, 14 of them in affiliation with Paramount. The prospective partners in the venture formerly owned the theatres involved in the deal and it is understood that they now are taking them back on a full proprietary basis. The sales of Paramount's minority interests in some houses to Mr. Garner and Mr. Talley was confirmed in New York by Leonard H. Goldenson, president of the Paramount Theatre Service Corporation. Paramount holds an interest in the Coral and Gables at Coral Gables, the Hialeah at Hialeah ; Boulevard, Dade, Olympia, Paramount, Regent, Rex anJ Tivoli at Miami and the Beach, Colony, Sheridan and Cinema Casino at Miami Beach. Form Sherover Enterprises To Export U. S. Films Miles Sherover, recently returned from a European tour, has formed a motion picture export division of his company, to be known as Sherover Enterprises, Inc., for the export of American product to Europe and the Far East. Mr. Sherover is president, and Henry W. Kahn, formerly with the Motion Picture Export Association, is vicepresident. Their initial program will be the sale and distribution of 34 pictures for which they have obtained the distribution and reissue rights in various foreign countries. 44 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 28, 1946