Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1941)

Page 4 SHOWMEN'S T RADE REVIEW January 11, 1941 Free 5Co.'s In Crescent Case "Little Three" Also to Seek Suit Dismissal The Government's anti-trust suit against the Crescent Amusement Co. and eight major distributors was this week dismissed as far as the five companies who signed the consent decree are concerned. Dismissal of the suit against the remaining three will be sought in the near future by Louis Frohlich, Columbia attorney. This move may be made in Federal Court in Nashville before Frohlich makes a similar attempt in Oklahoma City to obtain dismissal in the Griffith case. The latter is scheduled for a hearing on January 31. Applications in both cases will be on the grounds that since the complaints against the five principal distributors have been dismissed, there is no grounds for claiming a monopoly against the "Little Three" who are not in an economic position to maintain one. Motions to dismiss the New York equity suit, in which the five majors signed the consent decree, were postponed until January 30 because Edward C. Raftery, United Artists and Universal counsel will be on the Coast, and because Frohlich is occupied with the ASCAP-BMI controversy. MGM Sets Release for 'LandofLiberty',Jan.24 "Land of Liberty" will be nationally released Jan. 24, MGM reported over the week-end. The feature, sponsored by the MP PDA and edited by Cecil B. DeMille, enjoyed highly successful pre-release engagements. In its world premiere at the Rialto Theatre, Williamsport, Pa., recently, it set an all-time gross and attendance record, topping all figures for a comparable period. The film is described as a dramatic presentation of highlights in the expansion and progress of the American nation. It was shown to audiences at the New York and San Francisco fairs, under sponsorship of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. At the close of the two fairs, MGM volunteered to present it as one of its regular releases of the 1940-41 season. From a commercial stand-1 point the venture is unique, for profits derived from the film are to be turned over to soldiers' and sailors', welfare organizations. Overflow Crowd Hears Balaban Talk to AMPA An overflow crowd heard Barney Balaban, president of Paramount, speak to the AMPA on Thursday of this week on the subject, "Problems of the day for motion picture advertising men." The crowd applauded him enthusiastically. A full report on this speech will be carried in next week's issue of STR, STAR AND PRODUCER I. E. Chadwick, producer of Monogram's "Her First Romance," greets Edith Fellows, the star, in the lobby at the premiere of the picture at the Hawaii Theatre in Hollywood on New Year's Eve. Industry Joins In Polio Drive N. Y.-N. J. Theatres To Participate in Campaign The most intensive, and probably the most nearly 100 per cent cooperative, charity drive ever undertaken by the motion picture theatres of the New York-Jersey area got under way Friday at a meeting held in the Hotel Astor under the guidance of Harry Brandt and C. C. Moskowitz, co-chairmen. The drive is to raise funds for the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. The campaign in the New York-Jersey theatres was set for the week starting January 16th. In every theatre lobby there will be a special receptacle for the collection of money in the "March of Dimes." Community charity organizations will be asked to supply uniformed girls to preside at the dimeboxes, and to give to each contributor a special emblem indicating a contribution to the movie theatre branch of the drive. Two short pieces of film, for insertion in the newsreels, will be supplied. In one, Spencer Tracy makes an appeal. In the other, Charlie Chaplin appears with Governor Lehman. Si Fabian was chosen treasurer of the theatre drive. The following committee appointments were made : J. J. Thompson and Harry Hecht — for New Jersey. Max Cohen — for upstate New York. Si Fabian — for Long Island and Staten Island. Laurence Bolognino and Joe Katsh — for the Bronx. Samuel Rinzler and D. Weinstock — for Brooklyn. Martin Levine and Leo Brecher — for Manhattan. Frank Moscato and Samuel Strausberg — for Queens. Meyer's Daughter Wed Fred S. Meyer, Twentieth Century-Fox studio executive, announces the marriage of his daughter Delphine to Harold Raymond Shire, Asst. U. S. Attorney. Neely Pushes Bills Again Reintroduces Divorcement, Anti-Block Booking Laws Senator Neely of West Virginia re-introduced his anti-block booking and Federal divorcement bills this week at the first session of the new Congress. The first measure was referred to the committee on Interstate Commerce and the second to the Judiciary Committee. The former bill was passed by the last Senate after extensive public hearings and the House also held public hearings. The bill will have to go through the same procedure again, if it is pushed. However, House leaders last year were loath to enact any legislation in view of the consent decree in the Government's equity suit and a desire to see how it worked before hampering it with new restrictions. Senator Neely, however, is scheduled to resign soon to accept the Governorship of West Virginia to which he was elected in November. Whether the bill will be pushed by Rep. Andrew Edmiston of West Virginia, its House sponsor, was questionable. The bills are identical with those of the last session. The blind-selling prohibition is already accomplished in the case of the five major companies through the consent decree which requires trade-showing of each picture before its sale. Oppose Proposal to Bar Kids from Movies Chicago — The recent contention of Mrs. Richard McClure, Film Council president, that juveniles under 10 years of age should not be permitted to go to the movies because of the unsuitable programs provided for them is opposed by leading industry executives here. Charles Ryan, of Warner Bros. Theatres, declares children understand movies better than most people think they do and that while programs could be improved, still films with special juvenile appeal fail to receive profitable support. Programs today, on the whole, are edited for both young and old, it is contended by Clyde Eckhardt, 20th-Fox exchange manager, while Jack Kirsch, Illinois Allied president, points to continuing improvement in pictures as answering Mrs. McClure. Wants Name Cleared In Sork Suit Philadelphia — Arguing he had nothing to do with the clearance in the area and that he wasn't involved as had been charged, David B rodstein, of the Orpheum, asked this week at a hearing that his name be stricken as one of the defendants in the Harry Sork-Harry Block suit against the film distributors and several exhibitors in Reading. Judge Guy K. Bard in U. S. District Court reserved decision. Univ. Won't Cut Program Firm Ahead of Production Schedule Set Last Summer Hollywood — Despite the almost total loss of the European market because of the war, Universal will in no way reduce its 1940-41 program, it was announced this week by President Nate Blumberg, who stated that by the end of next August the studio will have delivered to exhibitors the 63 productions outlined to salesmen at the annual convention last May. Final plans for the remaining productions have been completed during the studio meetings still in progress and participated in by Blumberg, J. Cheever Cowdin, William A. Scully and Joseph Seidelman from the home office, and Cliff Work, Matty Fox and their studio associates. Of the 63 announced productions, it was said, 39 are completed and have been shipped to exchanges or are in final editing stages. By midFebruary eight more of the remaining 24 will have been completed, leaving only 16 to be filmed and shipped between Feb. 15 and Aug. 31, the close of the releasing year. DAVID (SKIP) WESHNER (The Man on the Cover) Newly appointed director of exploitation of United Artists, succeeding Monroe Greenthal, now director of advertising and publicity, Weshner brings a theatreman's background to his new post. For the past seven years he has been supervisor of key run theatres for Warner Bros, in Philadelphia which climaxed a career of 13 years with that organization during part of which he was director of advertising, publicity and exploitation for all Warner Theatres. SHOWMEN'S Trade Vol. 33, No. 25 Review Jan. 11,1941 Title and Trade Mark Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Published every Friday by Showmen's Trade Review, Inc., 1501 Broadway, New York City. Telephone BRyant 9-5606. Charles E. "Chick" Lewis, Editor and Publisher; Tom Kennedy, Associate Editor; Robert Wile, Managing Editor; Joseph H. Gallagher, Film Advertising Manager; Harold Rendall, Equipment Advertising Manager; West Coast Office, Guaranty Bldg., 6331 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Calif., Telephone HOllywood 1390, Ann Lewis, manager; Chicago Representative, Marshall Reinig, 612 North Michigan Ave., Telephone Superior 7646; London Representative, Milton Deane, 185 Fleet St., London E.C. 4; Australian Represen tative, Gordon V. Curie, 1 Elliott St., Homebush, Sydney, Australia. Subscription rates per year: $2.00 in the United States and Canada; Foreign, $5.00. Single copies, ten cerfts. Subscribers should remit with order. Entered as second class matter February 20, 1940, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Contents copyrighted 1941 by Showmen's Trade Review, Inc. Printed in U.S.A. Address all Communications to: SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 1501 Broadway New York City