Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1944)

6 S Hays Spotlights War Record^of Industry. The board oi directors of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America at a meeting Alonday (March 27) unanimously approved the twenty-second annual report by Will H. Hays, president, in which the wartime accomplishments of the industry, particularly in the field of patriotic endeavor for such war causes as the Red Cross fund and war bond sales efforts, are covered in detail. The Hays report, while stressing the war role of motion pictures, dealt with the matter of postwar problems and aims of the American industry with respect to reciprocal freedom of action and access to markets between all countries. In this connection. Hays says the American motion picture interests seek only to compete on a basis of artistic merit. He warns that various forms of censorship encountered during the war years may develop in intensity, pointing out that in earlier years foreign censorship was based on alleged moral grounds or supposed derogatory references to nationals concerned, whereas the chief excuse for censorship in neutral countries now stems from their desire to avoid offense to the Axis, and he points to the banning in Argentina of American films as an example of this. In addition to its record in maintaining and even raising the standard of entertainment quality in^the face of war restrictions and shortages, and the achievements in behalf of morale work for troops and home front as well as bond sales and fund collections, the report emphasizes the outstanding record of the industry in safety measures. "During 1943," the report states, "member distributing companies examined, stored and shipped more than 27,000 miles of film daily in the United States without any fire damage incident thereto." TRADE TRAVEL LOG Sam Clark, Warners' West Coast field representative, arrived in New York Monday for conferences with Mort Blumenstock on "Adventures of Mark Twain" campaign. W. C. Gehring^ 20th Century-Fox western sales manager, is in Minneapolis for sales conferences. He is also scheduled to visit 20th-Fox exchanges in Des Moines, Kansas City and Indianapolis, returning to the home office around the middle of April. Marcel Brazee, Warner Theatres assistant zone manager in the Milwaukee area, is on the coast for studio conferences on forthcoming reileases. Robert M. Gillham. Paramount advertising and publicity director, was in Washington this week completing final arrangements for the official preview of Cecil B. DeMille's "The Story of Dr. Wassell" at Constitution Hall on April 1. W. Ray Johnston, president of Monogram, is back in Hollywood after his swing around the country in celebration of his thirtieth year in the industry. In Dallas, he was the guest of Phil Isley, prominent Texas exhibitor and father of Jennifer Jones, and was also tendered a cocktail party and bufTet dinner atop the Adolphus Hotel. Moe Silver, Warners' Pittsburgh zone manager, is in New York for a few days. Paramount President Barney Balaban, accompanied by Leonard Goldenson, vice-president in charge of theatre operations, and Sam Dembow and Leon D. Netter, left last week for Hollywood to confer with! Y. Frank Freeman, vice-president in charge of studio operations and attend a four-day meeting of Paramount theatre partners. Leo J. McCarthy, PRC sales manager, left New York Wednesday for a tour of company exchanges. He is due to arrive in Hollywood April 5th for conferences with Leon Fromkess, vice-president in charge of prr<iuction. OWMEN'S TRADE REVI Escape in Reverse Both titles of a double feature bill proved singularly significant at the Rivoli Theatre, Toledo, recently. While "The Heat's On" was unfolding on the screen, smoke started to purl up from the basement. The second feature followed in due course. It was "None Shall Escape." There was no need for any to escape from the building, since the blaze in the basement was quickly extinguished. However, the arrival of firemen, summoned by Manager Howard Feigley as a safety measure, caused minor excitement outside the Rivoli, and afforded opportunity for some dozen young boys to scamper into the theatre without buying tickets. Films' Role in Wartime SMPE Meeting Theme Dominant theme of the 55th semi-annual technical conference of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers to be held April 17-19 in New York at the Hotel Pennsylvania will be the application of motion pictures to war needs. Officers of the armed forces will lead discussions oil training films and the U. S. Navy Photographic Science Laboratory on the second day of the conference, designated as "Army-Navy Day." Thirty-eight papers will be presented by military men, motion picture engineers and representatives of industries allied with the film business, according to W. H. Offenhauser, Jr., chairman of the Papers Committee. Talks by two radio network spokesmen will highlight a symposium on television at the opening session. Wyllis Cooper, NBC, will discuss "Television from the Viewpoint of a Motion Picture Producer," while W. C. Miner, CBS, will talk on "Television from the Viewpoint of a Broadcaster." Other topics scheduled for symposium discussion : high-speed photography, 16 mm. film developments, and 16 mm. standardization. Because of war-time conditions, all social functions usually held in connection with its meetings have been canceled by the Society for this conference, according to W. C. Kunzman, convention vice-president. MGM Trade Show Dates MGM will hold national trade showings of "Two Girls and a Sailor" and "Three Men in White" on April 24 and "Gaslight" on April 28. This will complete the trade screenings of the company's seventh group, "Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble" and "Meet the People" having been set for April 3 in all key cities except Kansas City, where the two pictures will be shown April 4, at the Vogue Theatre. RKO Announces Trade Shows Trade screenings of five RKO Radio pictures will be held nationally on April 17th through April 20th. The pictures are "Show Business," "Days of Glory," "Youth Runs Wild," "Yellow Canary," and "The Falcon Out West." Warner Tradeshow April 10 "Uncertain Glory," Warner Bros, production starring Errol Flynn and Academy Award winner Paul Lukas, will be nationally tradeshown Monday, April 10, it is announced by Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager. Blackford in WB Publicity Post G. E. Blackford, former New York JournalAmerkan drama and motion picture editor, has joined , the Warner home office publicity stafT under Larry Golob. W April 1, 1944 Pledge Industry Aid In Fifth War Loan Participation in the forthcoming Fifth War Loan and aid in recruiting women for the Women's Army Corps were pledged by the War Activities Committee at a joint luncheon meeting of the WAC Coordinating Committee and the Executive Committee held over the weekend at the Hotel Astor, with George J. Schaefer, WAC chairman, presiding. Chairman S. H. Fabian presided at a morning session of the Theatres Division. Speakers at the luncheon included Major General J. A. Ulio, Adjutant General, and Major John W. Hubbell, chief of the army's Overseas Motion Picture Service. In his address. General Ulio expressed confidence that the projected industry WAC recruiting campaign in connection with the exhibition of the short, "This Is Your War, Too," would do much to boost enlistment in the service. Edward L. Alperson, chairman of the WAC Special Events committee, was empowered to meet with the members of his committee to prepare a national campaign in conjunction with the showing of the film. Joseph McConville, Columbia Pictures executive, was elected chairman of the Foreign Manager Division, replacing Phil Reisman. Fabian was re-elected chairman of the Theatres Division, and Schaefer and Francis S. Harmon were again named to the posts of chairman and executive vice-president, respectively. Herman Gluckman was elected to succeed Arthur Mayer, resigned, as treasurer. WB Contact Managers Meeting A meeting of Warner Bros, theatre zone contact managers was scheduled to be held Friday and Saturday of this week, with W. Stewart McDonald, comptroller for the Warner circuit, and James M. Brennan, assistant treasurer, conducting the sessions. More than a dozen representatives from the field, in addition to home office executives, were expected to attend. MGM Promotes 2 Branch Managers It was announced this week by MGM that J. P. Willingham, formerly branch manager at the company's exchange in Memphis, has been named permanent manager at the St. Louis office, while L. C. Ingram, for many years a salesman in the Atlanta exchange, has been named branch manager in Memphis. Both had been in these posts temporarily. Little Rock Gets 'Wassell' First The commercial world premiere of Cecil B. De Mille's "The Story of Dr. Wassell" will be held in Little Rock, Ark., on April 26, it was announced this week. This occasion will follow by four weeks the Washington official preview held in Constitution Hall April 1 in connection with the Red Cross Drive. LeSieur Awaits Induction Call Howard LeSieur, sales promotion and production manager with United Artists home office for the past twelve years, passed his physical examination this week and is waiting induction into the armed forces next month. Prior to joining United Artists, LeSieur was associated with Buchanan & Co., ad agency for about six years. Gene Tierney to Play 'Laura' Gene Tierney replaces Jennifer Jones in the title role of "Laura," best-selling mystery novel which Otto Preminger will produce for 20th Century-Fox.