Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1947)

Mexico Will Get 10 Million Feet Of Stock in 1947 by LUIS BECERRA CELIS !rn Mexico City This, it seems, will be a good, though not ,an extravagantly good, year for Mexican j production. Producers are assured of at 'least 10,000.000 feet of raw stock, it has been I officially announced. Production circles beilieve that perhaps the 1947 output will be \ 134 features. However, shrewd elements of I the industrv think that the year's ceiling will be the 96 that was shown as probable ijr 1947 by a survey made by the producers' -?ociation. V Radical sections of the National CinematoI graphic Industry Workers Union, whose i members work for distributors and exhibiI tors, are resorting to vicious name-calling \ in their demand to the Senate and the local j municipal government to order a substantial \ reduction in theatre admittance charges. The '"comrades" aver theatre charges have beI come standardized in the past few years at 85 cents to a SI for first run houses and that these charges are exorbitant. They claim exhibitors can reduce their admission charges bv 40 per cent and still make money. V The greatest long-shot player in the film : business here is Leon Gurdus, who is exhibiting selected French pictures to only fair business. However, he claims that even if he loses S20,000 he is sure of ultimate rewards. Arch Mercey Leaving Government for UN Arch Mercey shortly will leave his post as chief of the motion picture division of the Office of Government Reports for one as information officer for the United Nations World Health Organization, it was reported in Washington last week. Mr. Mercey's new post, however, will be for only six months, after which he is expected to enter private business in Washington. Mr. Mercey, long in documentary films and Government service, will be replaced in the Office of Government Reports by Dallas Halvesstadt. Alex Sayles, Albany Manager, Honored Marking 25 years in show business, friends and associates of Alex Sayles, manager of the Palace theatre, Albany, tendered him a dinner last week in the Variety Club. Eighty-five attended. Among speakers were C. J. Latta, second assistant Variety Club national chief barker ; Thomas Stowell, director of the New York State public health education division ; Frank McCue, promotion manager of the Knickerbocker Nezvs; and Neil Hellman, the local Variety Tent's chief barker. IN NEWSREELS MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 29, No. 39^Byrnes resigns Marshall new Secretary of State. . . . Eeisenhower rests in Florida, denies political rumors. . . . Prime Minister King becomes first citizen in Canada. . . . British transfer 750 refugees from camps in Cyprus. . . . Railroad freight pier in Weehawken destroyed by fire. Greek war relief campaign opened. . . . Hogan's record card wins Los Angeles open golf title. . . . Florida beauties display latest in sweaters. MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 29, No. 40— Senator Vandenberg reaiTirms U. S. policy on atom . bomb. . . . Japan: McArthur honored, anti-cabinet rally. . . . Inventor shows device to save lives in hotel fires. . . . Lew Lehr in comment on new hats. . . . Golden Gloves. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 18, No. 237— General Eisenhower in Florida. ... A Palestine bright spot. . . $6,000,000 fire sweeps pier in Hudson. . . . GI fire in Tokyo. . . . Ski-jimiping tournament. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 18, No. 23S— Report on disarmament. . . Explosion of sodium Miami air show. . . . French decorate MacArthur. . . . Democracy in Japan. . . . New life savin.g device. . A lord learns skiing. . . . Golden Gloves. PARAMOUNT NEWS— Nou 40— Tokyo— Fire threatens G. I. community. . . . Florida: Spotlight on Eisenhower. . . . Art students throw biggest party of 1947. . . . Washington: Marshall replaces Byrnes. . . . Sports: Sharks caught on the fly, Ski season opens. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 41— Winter sports in New York and Austria. . . . Hotel seeks way to reduce fires. . . . Paris decrees "precious gowns." . . . Japan: World's biggest GI store. General MacArthur receives France's highest honor, 500,000 protest Yoshita's cabinet. . . . Top pilots stage big national show. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 18, No. 42— Spectacular fire in N._ Y., Tokyo, San Francisco. . . . Eisenhower denies his hat's in ring. . . . Italy's premier on mission to America. . . . Top U. S. skiers in meet. . . . Britons at wild arts ball. RKO PATHE NEWS— VoL 18, No. 43— Elizabeth and Humbert in news. . . . Byrnes reviews U. S. policies. . . . Skating at Wembley. . . . Biggest Army store opened. . . . British war brides. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEI^VoL 20, No. 3— $6,500,000 fire. . . . Marshall to succeed Byrnes. . . . Ike denies political plans. . . . Fire guts Tokyo G. I. housing. Qielsea arts ball. . . . Skiing thrills. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEI^Vol. 20, No. 4— Byrnes calls for real peace. . . . 500.000 Japs protest new cabinet. . . . Firey explosion. . . . Inventor demonstrates first escape device. . . . All-American air maneuvers. . . . Golden Gloves. Warner Stock Goes to Chan The latest Securities and Exchange Commission report indicates that Albert Warner has presented 2,900 shares of Warner common stock to Jewish charities. Two thousand sTiares went to United Jewish Appeal and 900 to the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York. According to current market prices, the 2,900 shares are worth about $47,000. Mr. Warner now holds 426,100 shares. Herbert J. Yates has acquired 6,100 shares of Republic Pictures, bringing his total to 33,600. Stephen Callahan, New York, acquired 200 shares of Paramount common; Henry Ginsberg, Hollywood, sold 500 shares, and William H. and John D. Ginsberg, Hollywood, reported holding 200 shares. Abraham Schneider, New York, disposed of 260 shares of Columbia Pictures, holding 12,974. Abraham Montague, New York, reported presenting 188 shares of Columbia stock to charity. Fined for Checker Assault Jerry Silver, of the Cannon theatre. Cannon Falls, near Minneapolis, was fined $25 and costs January 9 for allegedly assaulting a Minneapolis checker for the Willmark agency, handing the MGM account. Eberson Sees Building Boom In Six Months In six to eight months the motion picture industry will be in the midst of a large-scale theatre construction program, John Eberson, one of the industry's leading theatre architects, predicted in New York this week. Further, this construction program will reach international proportions with the building of many 16mm theatres in foreign countries. Utilizing American productive ability and ingenuity, Mr. Eberson predicted that there will be ample supplies and building materials within the next six months now that the Government building curbs have been removed. Since early in the war there have been comparatively few theatres erected while many exhibitors have had to postpone remodeling and redecorating operations until supplies became available. Further, Mr. Eberson pointed out that the war had brought many shifts in the nation's population and many new communities were founded which will have to be served by permanent theatres. There is also a trend toward more and more suburban, neighborhood and community shopping center theatres and this too will become a large part of the construction boom. In the foreign field the expansion and development of 16mm films by the major companies will require the construction of many theatres in areas which never before had theatres, he said. The one bottleneck, again, is the availability of supplies and equipment. Mr. Eberson is currently negotiating with the Chinese Government for the construction of some 500 16mm theatres which are to be used for educational and propaganda purposes. However, these negotiations are temporarily being held in abeyance due to the . current politically chaotic conditions there. Legion of Decency Reviews Six New Productions The National Legion of Decency reviewed six new productions this week, approving all. In Class A-I, unobjectionable for general patronage, were "The Magic Bow," "Schrammein" (German), "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim," and "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi." In Class A-II, unobjectionable for adults, were "California" and "The Locket." UN to See Picture "Brotherhood of Man," a U. S.-made animated cartoon distributed by Film Alliance of America, will be screened for members ef the Security Council and of the Human Rights section of the United Nations as well as for leaders of educational, civic and church organizations at the Museum of Modern Art January 23. Pare Lorentz, head of the War Department's civil affairs division, and Dr. Ruth Benedict will speak. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 18, 1947 55