Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1945)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW February 24, 1945 Fuel Order Closes Theatres at Midnight Following almost on top of the recent brownout order, a new move to conserve fuel was announced this week by James F. Byrnes, director of War Mobilization and Reconversion, who ordered that effective Monday, Feb. 26, all places of amusement, including theatres, night clubs, dance halls, road houses, saloons, bars and similar establishments, must observe a midnight curfew. The order will be indefinite in length, depending upon the weather. Directing that "patrons shall leave in time to permit full closing by that time," the order means that many theatres whose last features run until midnight or beyond will have to revise their schedules to permit earlier closing. Another WPB order invoked a 5-state, 48-hour ban on the use of gas in the Appalachian region which, if the weather continues cold, would force theatres to close. The order, which went into effect on Feb. 19, covered places of amusement in Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, Western New York, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ken'tucky and the District of Columbia. Theatres using gas for fuel were affected by the order so that additional fuel would be available for war plants. Distributors Reply to D. of J. Demand for New Clearance Deal The five distributor companies presented their side in the tussle over clearance practices with the Department of Justice in the form of a letter this week, but nothing happened to change the status of negotiations for a compromise on revisions to the consent decree. The next move will come March 5, when the Department of Justice will receive a hearing before Federal Judge Henry W. Goddard on its motion for injunction against the present clearance practices pending outcome of the anti-trust trial — or later consent to revisions of the original decree. It was understood that the distributors restated their position that the proposed elimination of clearance between theatres charging the same admission price would be unworkable. Sears on Road to Recovery Gradwell L. Sears, vice-president in charge of distribution of United Artists, who entered New York Hospital Feb. 7 suffering with a minor heart ailment, will be able to return to his office on April 2, it was announced at the UA home office last weekend. Sears' doctors hSiwe pronounced his condition highly satisfactory, but have ordered complete rest and quiet to speed his recovery. Ascap Wins Suit Ruling that the theatre licensing operations of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is not in violation of the Sherman AntiTrust Act, Judge Gunnar H. Nordbye of the U. S. District Court, Minneapolis, this week awarded Ascap $2000 from the Associated Amusement Co. and $500 from Harry Dickerman, operators of the unlicensed theatres, thus ending a three-year controversy between Ascap and Minnesota exhibitors. Republic to Zoom Ahead This Year, Says Yates Citing important production moves made_ in the past four weeks, which included the signing of Frank Borzage, Alfred Santell and William K. Howard as producerdirectors, H. J. Yates, Sr., president of Republic Productions, at a meeting of studio executives at the North Hollywood plant of the company last Thursday (Feb. 15), declared that Republic at present is in the strongest position it has attained in its ten years of history. The meeting was held on the eve of Yates' departure for New York after four weeks of conferences at the studio. "Republic can do anything any other studio can do," Yates declared, as he reiterated his decision to spend thirty million dollars during the 1945-46 film season, with an unprecedented advertising budget backing each of 12 one and one-half million dollar productions to be released one each month for the next year. Yates said that 1945 is the year that "will tell the tale, a year in which we can plan to 'shoot the works'." He said that every Republic employe "has the opportunity to grow with the organization in direct proportion to his own ability, and we look forward to the development of individuals both before and behind the cameras." As recently announced, Borzage will have his own unit for the production of top-budget films, each of which will cost well in excess of $1,500,000. Alfred Santell is scheduled to produce "Mexicana" as his first undertaking under his exclusive contract with Republic, and William K. Howard's first production for the company will be "A Guy Could Change." Silver Joins Republic Ad Staff Milton Silver, formerly associated with National Screen Service and Universal, has joined the Republic advertising department staff as assistant to Charles Reed Jones, director of advertising. INDEX TO DEPARTMENTS Advance Dope 39 Box-Office Slants 26 Current Product Summary 36 Feature Booking Guide 32 Feature Guide Title Index 35 Hollywood 28 Newsreel Synopses 31 Program Exchange 12 Regional Newsreel ; 20 Selling the Picture 13 Shorts Booking Guide 37 Short Subject Reviews 30 H. J. Yates, Sr. Asks Free Flow of Films Between All Countries The free flow of motion pictures between nations of the world should be encouraged as a means of creating good will through better understanding among peoples, Spyros P. Skouras, 20th-Fox president, declared in an address last Sunday night at the "One World" dinner in memory of the late Wendell L. Willkie, at the Hotel Astor, New York. Skouras spoke in behalf of himself and Darryl F. Zanuck, 20th-Fox vice-president in charge of production, recipient of a "One World" award in recognition of the producer's picture "Wilson." Dye to the significant role they now play as a medium of information and enlightenment, Skouras predicted that "we can look for an increasing emphasis on those elements in pictures from this point on. In accomplishing its proper goal in this direction, Skouras said, "we must have the enlightened support of the people. We cannot do a proper job if the industry is to be pulled in all directions by opposing forces from the outside." Encouragement of motion picture production in other countries, the 20th-Fox president declared, will stimulate increased patronage for pictures among people in other countries, tlius making for added attendance for all pictures. "American motion pictures shown in other countries," he said, "permit the people of those countries to see us as we are, and, by the same token, pictures made abroad and shown here permit us to see the people of those countries as they are. It is for this reason that I believe the motion pictures made in lands other than our own should be shown in America." WMC Reduces Chicago Amusement Staffs 5% in First Directive Chicago amusement places pointedly, and nonessential industries in general, felt the fiirst effect of the Government's directive through the War Manpower Commission to reduce their staffs respectively by five per cent. The order went into effect Tuesday (20). A subsequent order for another five per cent adjustment is expected next month. William Spencer, regional director, warned that layoffs must be paid by individual firms until Government labor agencies arrange new employment. Goldwyn on Govt. Mission Samuel Goldwyn, producer, will undertake a special mission in England for the Foreign Economic Administration's bureau, it has been announced by Leo T. Crowley, FEA administrator. Nizer on Army Assignment Louis Nizer, prominent motion picture attorney and author of the book "What To Do With Germany," left New York Monday to visit Army bases in the U. S. to give addresses to officers and enlisted men under a special assignment by the Army's Orientation Division. Nizer is traveling by Army plane, will give about three addresses per day. Barry Buchanan (The Man on the Cover) Director of advertising and publicity for United Artists, a post which he assumed this week. For the past two years he served as Special Coordinator for the U. S. Treasury Department with the motion picture industry, in which capacity he directed exploitation in connection with the personal participation of Hollywood stars in the various campaigns. His previous association with the amusement field was in press work for the Sh'uberts, Ringling Brothers circuses and as one of the directors of public relations for the New York World's Fair in 1939-40. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Title and Trade Mark Registered U. S. Patent Office Published every Friday by Showmen's Trade Review Inc., 1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. Y. Telephone BRyant 9-5606. Charles E. "Chick" Lewis, Editor and Publisher; Tom Kennedy, Associate Editor; Jamei A. Cron, General Manager; Ralph Cokain, Managing Editor; David Harris, Business and Circnlation Manager; Harold Rendall, Equipment Advertising Manager; West Coast Office, 6777 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood 28, California; Telephone Hollywood 2055. Ann Lewis, manager. Ed Raiden, West Coast Editor. London Representative, Milton Deane, 185 Fleet St., London E.C. 4 ; Australian Representative, Gordon V. Curie, 1 Elliott St., Homebush, Sydney, Australia. 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