Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1947)

Judgment THE BRITISH people discuss pictures more than the Americans and are more critical in their judgment of American films than Americans are judging British films, Howard Dietz, MGM's vice-president of advertising and publicity, said Monday on his return from England aboard the Queen Elizabeth. On industry matters Mr. Dietz said the British film industry is more exploitationminded than ever before and is keying its exploitation generally with an eye toward America. The small amount of advertising available in British newspapers is also a great challenge to the advertising ability of the industry, Mr. Dietz pointed out, and they are using it to best advantage. During his three weeks in England the MGM executive inspected the new Metro studios. Production will begin there in August with three pictures planned — "The Romance of Henry Menafee," "The Secret Garden" and "Young Bess." International AN international film congress, to be held in Hollywood in the summer of 1948, will be sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Jean Hersholt, president, said Sunday. The Motion Picture Association has agreed to support the project, he added. Mr. Hersholt announced the plan at the United Nations Club, Hollywood. Hollywood forfeits its prestige as world motion picture capital when it permits European interests to develop such well attended festivals as those at Brussels, Cannes, and Venice, Sam Wood, producer and director, said this week. In a memorandum being prepared for submission to the academy, Mr. Wood suggests a five-day festival containing banquets, public screenings, and personal appearances by stars. Johnston Off THE American motion picture industry, the executives of which have individually been surveying Europe, will have it done officially now, with the forthcoming inspection of the Continent by Eric A. Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association. Mr. Johnston leaves New York June 22. He will visit Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Warsaw, Berlin, Geneva, and London. In Brussels he will stay six days for the International Film Festival, at which he will be guest of honor at a dinner tendered by the Belgian Premier, Foreign Minister and the ambassadors of countries entered in the Festival. In Geneva, Mr. Johnston will attend the International Trade Conference. In London, he will stay a week conferring with film industry and government officials. He will return to New York July 25. Mr. Johnston visited London last year, the first legrof a projected European tour, but became ill; and returned to this country. The Mysterious East THE peculiar habit the Egyptians have of throwing bombs indoors in motion picture theatres has led Cairo police to formulate a set of rules for theatre-going. Patrons must keep tickets till they leave. They must not bring in parcels. They must not leave while the show is on. They must not leave before the national anthem is played. They must not smoke. They must not change seats. Enforcement of the rules requires a formidable array of alert policemen in theatres. Sir Laurence IT'S Sir Laurence Olivier now. The British screen and stage star was made a knight of the realm in the King's Birthday Honors List, announced this week in London. Also given knighthood, for public service in Birmingham and the Midlands, was Captain S. W. Clift, past president of the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association. Remittance Washington Bureau THAT money the film companies earn in France will now come to them, they learned this week. The French Government has agreed to remit $11,500,000 of funds "frozen." This will clear French payments from 1940 through this month. The sum is at the rate of 119 francs to the dollar. Eager Beavers MOTION PICTURES were unfamiliar but peculiarly desirable to the residents of Pei Hsin Hsiang, China. They eagerly anticipated the arrival of a State Department mobile film unit. When the unit bogged down in the trail to town, the natives repaired, widened and extended the road. PEOPLE Cecil B. DeMille, producer-director for Paramount, arrived in New York Wednesday morning, to speak before the New York Chamber of Commerce at its headquarters in New York Thursday. He will return to Hollywood Saturday. J. W. Campbell, newsreel editor of Associated Screen News in Montreal, has been advised of his acceptance as an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, and has been elected vicepresident of the Montreal Camera Club for the coming year. Sam Shain, director of trade relations at Twentieth Century-Fox, New York, last Friday was promoted to director of exhibitor and public relations for the distribution department. J. E. Perkins, Paramount's managing director for the British Isles ; F. E. Hutchinson, managing director of sales ; Tony C. Reddin, director of theatres, advertising and publicity for Paramount Film Service, Ltd., and John B. Nathan, division manager for Continental Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, arrived in New York Monday on the Queen Elizabeth to attend home office and studio executive conferences. Arthur F. Baldwin, export manager of National Theatre Supply Company, left last week for extensive business tour of Latin America. While away his duties will be assumed by R. P. Rosser, Jr., formerly company branch manager in Albany, who has been appointed assistant to Mr. Baldwin. James Wingate, director of the New York State department of education's motion picture division from 1927 to 1932, Monday was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters at Union College in Schenectady, N. Y. M. P. Murphy, assistant general sales manager of the Northern Electric Company, has been elected president of Dominion Sound Equipments, Ltd., Montreal. Sid Kramer, assistant to Harry Michalson, RKO Radio short subjects sales manager, has been awarded the Navy's Certificate of Appreciation for "Meritorious Personal Service" during the war. Aileen Brenon, head of Paramount's magazine department, has resigned to join Vanguard Films. Dorothy Latta, New York stage actress and daughter of C. J. Latta, Albany zone manager for Warner Brothers, has been cast in a featured role' in "Ever the Beginning," a United States Picture production for Warner release. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, published every Saturday by Quigley Publishing Company, Rockefeller Center, New York City 20. Telephone Circle 7-3100; Cable address "Quigpubco, New York," Martin Quigley, President; Red Kann, Vice-President; Martin Quigley, Jr-i Vice-President; Theo. J. Sullivan, Treasurer; Leo J. Brady, Secretary; Terry Ramsaye, Editor; Martin Quigley, Jr., Associate Editor; James D. Ivers, News Editor; Charles S. Aaronson, Production Editor; Ray Gallogher, Advertising Manager; David Harris, Circulation Director; Bureaus: Hollywood, William R. Weaver, editor, Yucca-Vine Building; Chicago, 624 South Michigan Avenue; Washington, J. A. Otten, National Press Club; London, Hope Williams Burnup, manager, Peter Burnup, editor, 4 Golden Square, W. I.; Toronto, W. M. Gladish, 242 Millwood Road; Paris, Maurice Bessy, 2 Avenue Matignon; Dublin, T. J. M. Sheehy, 36 Upper Ormond Quay; Rome, Argeo Santucci, 10 Via Versilia; Lisbon, Joao De Moraes Palmeiro, Avenida Conde Valbom 116; Brussels, Louis Quievreux, 121 Rue Beeckman; Amsterdam, Philip de Schaap; 82 Jekerstraat; Copenhagen, Kris Winther, Bogehoi 25; Stockholm, Gosta Erkell, 15 Brantin-gsgaten; Budapest, Alexander Fodor, XIV Nurnberg ucca 47; Zurich, Carlo Fedier, c/o Cine Suisse, Kappelergasse 13; Prague, Joseph B. Kanturek, L'obkovicovo nam 18; Sydney, Cliff Holt, Box 2608 — G.P.O. Derwent House; Johannesburg, R. N. Barrett, 10, Blyth Road, Talboton; Mexico City, Luis Becerra Celis, Dr. Carmona y Valle 6; Havana, Charles B. Garrett, Refugio 168; Buenos Aires, Natalio Bruski, J. E. Uriburi 126; San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ernesto Sanchez Ortiz, P.O. Box 1043; Montevideo, Paul Bodo, Calle Francisco Bauza 3662; Sao Paulo, Brazil, I. A. Ekerman, Rua Gucianazes 159; Santiago, Chile, Maria Romero, Revista "Ecran," Bellavista 069; Caracas, Venezuela, Mrs. Frank M. Caldwell, Apartado 1706. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. Other Quigley Publications: Better Theatres, published every fourth week as a section of Motion Picture Herald; Motion Picture Daily, International Motion Picture Almanac and Fame. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 14, 1947 9