Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1947)

Waif on C. Ament Ament Promoted In Realignment Of RKO Pathe Walton C. Ament, formerly vice-president and editor of Pathe News, has been named vice-president and general manager by Frederic U 1 1 m a n , Jr., president of RKO Pathe, Inc., as part of the company's expansion program. This expansion involves operation of the newly-completed studios at Park Avenue and 106th Street, New York, and RKO Pathe's increased volume of commercial films for industrial and advertising sponsors. In his new assignment, Mr. Ament will supervise newsreel, documentary and commercial picture operations, as well as the new RKO Pathe New York studios, under Mr. Ullman. Mr. Ament's responsibilities as Pathe News editor-in-chief will be assumed by Alfred Butterfield, formerly news editor, and most recently promotion director of RKO Pathe. He has been in charge of publicity and advertising for RKO Pathe product and studios, and will retain general supervision of promotion. William K. McClure, assistant to Mr. Butterfield, has been named assistant publicity manager. Reorganization of RKO Pathe's "This Is America" series places Phil Reisman, Jr., top writer for the series since its inception, in the newly-created post as editorial manager of the company. He will have charge of scripts and writers for "This Is America" and other short features and commercial films under Jay Bonafield, vice-president in charge of production of the series, and Mr. Ament. Phillips Brooks Nichols continues as commercial film sales manager ; Douglas Travers as production manager, and Charles Underbill as commercial production manager. Harold Lewis continues as manager of the RKO Pathe Studios, Harold Gonafield as Pathe News makeup editor, and John D. LeVien as news editor of Pathe News. Short Product in First Run Houses Variety Club to Give Ball The Variety Club of Illinois, Tent No. 26, plans to hold its first annual movie-ball at the Aragon ballroom January 20. Proceeds will be used for the club's new quarters in the Continental Hotel and for the group's ■charity project, the La Rabida Sanitarium. Stage, radio and screen stars will attend the iDall. A "Miss Variety Girl" will be chosen. The winner, besides reigning as queen of the ball, also will go to the coast for a screen test with all expenses paid. NEW YORK— Week of January 13 CAPITOL: Henpecked Hoboes MGM / Love My Husband, But MGM Feature: The Secret Heart MGM CRITERION: Melody Maestro Universal Feature: Love Laughs at Andy Hardy. .. .. MGM HOLLYWOOD: Lazy Hunter Werner Bros. The Hare Grows in Brooklyn. . . .Warner Bros. Feature: Humoresque Warner Bros. PALACE: Bowling Fever RKO Feature: Song of the South RKO PARAMOUNT: Sudden Fried Chicken Paramount Like Father, Like Son Paramount Feature: Cross My Heart Paramount RMLTO: Pluto's Kid Brother RKO Feature: Murder !n Reverse Four Continents RIVOLI: The Fistic Mystic Paramount Poocft Parade Paramount Jumping Jacks Paramount Love in Tune Paramount Feature: California Paramount ROXIT: Playtime's Journey 20th Cent.-Fox Nobody's CA!/dren 20fft Cent. -Fox The Housing Problem 20th Cenf.-Fox Feature: 13 Rue Madeleine 20th Cent.-Fox STRAND: Alice in Movieland . .. .Warner Bros, Sentimental Over You Warner Bros. So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck Warner Bros. Feature: The Time, the Place, the Girl .Warner Bros. WINTER GARDEN: Juvenile Jury .. .Universal Feature: Wicked Lady Universal CHICAGO— Week of January 13 &ARRICK: Pooch Parade. Paramount Feature: The Return of Monte Cristo .... Columbia GRAND: Kentucky Basketeers RKO Feature: It's a Wonderful Life RKO ROOSEVELT: One MeatboH Warner Bros. Feature: The Time, the Place, the Girl .Warner Bros. STATE-LAKE: Do You Want to Play the Horses ? Warner Bros. Feature: The Razor's Edge 20th Cent.-Fox UNITED ARTISTS: Housing Problem 20th Cent.-Fox Feature: Undercurrent MGM Disney Net Profit for Year Declines to $199,602 Roy Disney, president of Walt Disney Productions, reported to stockholders last week that the company's net income for the year to September 28, 1946, was $199,602, after all charges, compared with $350,532 for the previous year. Explaining the $150,930 decline, Mr. Disney cited a $3,505,543 increase in picture and story inventories and said financial success depended on having adequate inventories of entertainment products. He said no income from "Make Mine Music" and "Song of the South" had been received before the close of the fiscal year. Production costs for two other features, "Fun and Fancy Free" and "How Dear to My Heart," also were reflected in the year-end iitventory, he declared. Net income in 1946, was equal, after provision for preferred dividends accumulated during the year but not paid, to 26 cents a share on the 652,840 common shares outstanding as of September 28, 1946. This compares to 31 cents a share on 380,000 common shares the previous year. Universal Building New Chicago Exchange Universal-International will begin construction on a new exchange building on Michigan Avenue, Chicago, in the spring. In the meanwhile it is reported that EagleLion and Producers Releasing Corporation , are negotiating for Universal's present quarters. The new building probably will be two stories high and will be the second exchange office (Paramount was the first) to be built on Michigan Avenue. A general trend in the moving of exchanges from the present film-row to the Michigan Avenue area is seen in Chicago. Industry to Aid Greek Orphans Heads of independent exhibitor groups and executives from the advertising and publicity departments of the distributing companies met at two separate luncheons at the Hotel Astor last v^^eek and early this week to formulate plans for the forthcoming film industry drive to aid Greek war orphans. Purpose of the campaign, which will be kept entirely within the industry, is to raise $1,200,000 to support at least 15,000 Greek orphans for one year. Plans call for a direct appeal to all units of the industry to "adopt" a Greek orphan for one year. The support of one child requires $80, to be contributed by the industry, and an additional $40 to be supplied by the Greek Government. Tom Connors, 20th-Fox vice-president in charge of sales, was elected chairman of the distributor committee. Included in the group which met this week are A. Montague, Columbia; Abe Schnitzer, United Artists; Henderson M. Richey, MGM; E. T. Gomersall, Universal ; C. J. Scollard, Paramount ; Edward Walton, Republic ; Lloyd Lind, PRC, and Peter Levathes, 20th-Fox. Also present were the co-chairmen of the appeal, Ned Depinet, S. H. Fabian and Jack Cohh ; B. H. Serkowich, publicity co-chairman with S. Barret McCormick; Robert E. Coyne, Sam Shain and Leon Bamberger. Attending the Tuesday luncheon with members of the executive committee were Jack Kirsch, of Allied States; Fred Wehrenberg and Herman Levy, MPTOA ; Robert Coyne, ATA, and Harry Brandt, ITOA. All pledged their cooperation in the drive, which is being conducted in honor of Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th-Fox. 54 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 18, 1947