Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1948)

John Murdoch, RKO Founder, Dies on Coast John J. Murdock, first president and later chairman of RKO Pictures Corporation, died in Los Angeles at St. Erne Sanitarium December 8. He was 89 and had been in failing health for two years. Funeral services were held at Forest Lawn Saturday. Since his retirement in 1929, Mr. Murdock, who looked back on a long and distinguished career in the theatre world, John J. Murdock had devoted much of his energy to philanthropic projects. Foremost among these was his aid in the search for the cure and control of cancer. He established the Murdock Research Laboratories and Clinics in Malone, N. Y., and New York City. Mr. Murdock is survived by his widow, and a son, John J. Jr., and a daughter, Mrs. Ethel Mondell of Washington, D. C. The deceased came to this country from Scotland at the age of 12 and early entered the theatrical and motion picture business. He started as a stage hand in Cincinnati and later moved to Chicago, where he successively managed the Haymarket, the Olympic and the McVicker's theatres. Some 20 years later he moved east and became associated with B. F. Keith's vaudeville circuit, eventually becoming general manager in 1913. It was in this capacity that he became one of the founders of Radio-Keith-Orpheum when, after the successful merger of the Keith circuit with the Albee and Orpheum interests, the Keith Corporation linked with Pathe Exchange, Inc., and the Producers Distributing Corporation in April, 1927. After two years as president and chairman of the board of the new organization which, he announced, "encompassed in one organization all phases of the industry, from the manufacture of raw film stock to the presentation of finished pictures," Mr. Murdock retired in 1929. Carolina Theatre Opened The new Carolina theatre at Lexington, N. C, built at a cost of $400,000 was opened December 13. The house, replacing one that burned three years ago, has a seating capacity of 1,200. Dan Austell is manager. McKew Marks 25 Years Robert C. McKew, manager for Ireland o'f General Film Distributors, which distributes J. Arthur Rank Organization and Universal product, has celebrated recently the completion of 25 years of unbroken service with Universal and G. F. D. Short Product in First Run Houses NEW YORK— Week of December 12 ASTOR: Musical Gems RKO Feature: A Song Is Born RKO CAPITOL: Little Goldfish MGM Night Life in Chicago MGM Drunk Driving MGM Feature: Let's Live a Little Eagle Lion CRITERION: Call of the Canyon ... Universal Feature: Live Today for Tomorrow Universal GLOBE: Jungle Man Killers Warner Bros. Daffy Dilly Warner Bros. Feature: Northwest Stampede Eagle Lion RIVOLI: Neptune's Playground .20th Cent.-Fox Feature: The Snake Pit 20th Cent.-Fox ROXV: Free Enterprise 20th Cent.-Fox Olympic Water Wizards 20th Cent.-Fox Feature: When My Baby Smiles at Me 20th Cent.-Fox STRAND: Princely India Warner Bros. Bannister's Bantering Babies. . . .Warner Bros. Odor of the Day Warner Bros. Feature: The Decision of Christopher Blake Warner Bros. CHICAGO— Week of December 12 PALACE: Football Highlights of 7948 RKO Radio Feature: Live Today for Tomorrow Universal STATE LAKE: Princely India ... .Warner Bros. You Were Never Duckier Warner Bros. Feature: The Decision of Christopher Blake Warner Bros. UNITED ARTISTS: Slap Happy Lion MGM Feature: Hills of Home..: MGM Postpone Drawing for Rogers Memorial To assure the greatest possible return, the drawing for prizes in the raffle now being conducted for the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital has been postponed, it was learned last week, following a meeting of the executive committee. Clarence Eisman, president of the drive, said it was felt that many more raffle books could be sold should the drive be extended. Sues on Goldwyn Film A suit, charging that Samuel Goldwyn, Samuel Goldwyn Productions and RKO Radio Pictures, Inc., had infringed his copyright was filed in New York Federal Court Monday by Winthrop Sargeant, author of "Jazz: Hot and Hybrid," a study on the origin of jazz. Mr. Sargeant, asking an accounting of profits, said Mr. Goldwyn had used passages and a chart from his book in the picture "A Song Is Born." Eugene F. Ford Dies Eugene Francis Ford, 53, managing director of Loew's Capitol theatre, Washington, D. C, died December 12 at Doctor's Hospital, Washington. He began his theatrical career as a dancer and was the composer of the song hit, "Rain". From 1930 to 1934 he staged shows at New York City's Capitol theatre. Michael Lessy Michael Lessy, 74, associated with the industry in Philadelphia for many years, died at his Philadelphia home December 8. After an association with Universal, he, with his brother, operated a circuit of theatres in the Philadelphia area. He retired 10 years ago. Wilfred Pettit Wilfred Pettit, 38, screen writer and playwright, was found hanging from a beam in the cabin of his yacht at Newport Beach, Calif., December 9. One of his most recent screenplays was "The Swordsman" for Columbia. His death was called an accident. Talent Unions to Merge for Video Hollywood Bureau Eastern and western talent unions have agreed to merge to meet the increasing problems posed by the expansion of television, it was announced this week. Discussions of the proposed combination have been going on for a week and the terms of the suggested agreement now will be submitted to the governing boards and members of the unions for their approval. The plan provides for the merger of Actors Equity, American Federation of Radio Artists, American Guild of Musical Artists and Chorus Equity into one union. It further envisions a partnership agreement between the merged unions as one partner and the screen Actors Guild as the other. This partnership would have television jurisdiction of the participating unions. The project further calls for an initial contribution of $100,000 by each partner for immediate use in organizing and administering the television field. Both partners would approve of all television collective bargaining contracts. It has been disclosed that the American Guild of Variety Artists also has been invited to join in the union merger. Legion of Decency Reviews Eight New Productions The National Legion of Decency has reviewed eight new productions, approving all but two. In Class A-I, unobjectionable for general patronage, were "Fighting Fools," "Renegades of Sonora" and "Sundown in Santa Fe." In Class A-II, unobjectionable for adults, were "The Decision of Christopher Blake," "Mexican Hayride" and "Snowbound". In Class B, objectionable in part, were "Four Steps in the Clouds" (Italian), because of "suggestive sequences" and "My Own True Love," because it "reflects the acceptability of divorce." 36 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 18, 1948