Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1945)

8 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW February 24, 1945 Added Activity Marks Celebration David O. Selznick will commemorate the celebration of the tenth anniversary of his Selznick International trade mark, an event that will be observed during the month of March, with increased activities on both the distribution and production fronts of his organization. This will take the form of release of his two newest pictures, "I'll Be Seeing You," and "Spellbound," and at the studio in the form of a strenuous personal production program under which Selznick will have the direct or general supervision of four ambitious new productions, including "So Little Time," based on J. P. Marquand's novel; "Duel in the Sun," Technicolor film costarring Jennifer Jones and Gregory Peck; "The Scarlet Lily," and Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious." While the Selznick celebration is focussed on the Selznick International trade mark, which made its first appearance on the screen in 1935, there are two other notable facets to the date being commemorated. These are that the celebration date marks the twentysecond year in the production field for David O. Selznick, and the thirty-second anniversary of the start in pictures of his father, the late Lewis J. Selznick, one of the pioneering figures in the industry. The producer who has won distinction for so many outstanding achievements, began his career in production on a shoestring — a two-reeler about Luis Firpo ("Wild Bull of the Pampas" whose bout with Jack Dempsey for the heavyweight championship furnished one of the most dramatic matches in prize-ring history). A few years later he was a story editor for MGM, from which point on the trail led upward through assistant producerships for Paramount; vice-president in charge of all production for RKO; producer for MGM and finally to the start of his immensely successful career as head of his ovm production organization, which has accounted for such extraordinary pictures as "A Star Is Born," "The Adventures of Tom Savo'er," "The Young in Heart," "Gone With the Wind," "Rebecca," "Since You Went Away," and "I'll Be Seeing You," currently registering tremendous attendance figures at key-run pre-release engagements. David 0. Selznick Magazine, Shorts in Editorial Collaboration A policy of editorial collaboration between RKO's This Is America series of short subjects and the magazine, This Week, was established this week following a meeting of Frederic Ullman, Jr., producer of the two-reel subjects, and William I. Nichols and Jerry Mason, editor and executive editor, respectively, of the publication. The arrangement marks the first time that the editorial departments of an independent magazine and an established short subject will work together in bringing information and current history to the public. Both the producers of the film and the editors of the magazine expressed their belief that the step will be an important advance in the furtherance of education, culture and entertainment via mass communication. With a net circulation of just under 6,500,000, This Week appears every Sunday with 21 newspapers in 21 key cities which, with but three exceptions, parallel the industry's film exchange centers. First film to result from the joint efforts of the two media is "On Guard," story of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI, which will be tied in with the March 11th issue of This Week carrying a two-page spread on FBI activities. The collaboration was arranged through Richard Condon, Inc., public relations counselors to RKO-Pathe and editorial consultants to This Week. Films Made by Army Declared Ineligible for Movie Awards Motion pictures made by uniformed cameramen of the Army and released under the government information service conducted by the OWI and WAC are not eligible for any of the yearly movie awards for merit, including the Academy awards, it was made clear this week by Col. Edward J. Munson, Jr., Signal Corps chief of pictorial service, in a letter to William Dozier, chairman Motion Picture Academy Special Committee on Documentary Awards. Col. Munson wrote that the policy "is based upon the fact that motion pictures produced by the War Department are designed to meet direct military or other specific War Department purposes are not produced with a view to being placed in competition with any commercially produced pictures." Several of the films, notably "The Memphis Belle" and "Liberation of Rome," were outstanding productions. WLB to Get SOPEG Dispute With efforts to arbitrate the dispute over salary and contract terms involving the Screen Office and Professional Employes Guild, CIO, and Paramount, Loew's, RKO, Columbia, 20thFox and United Artists, ending in failure, the case i.« being prepared for certification to the War Labor Board. Two Shorts on Home-Front Problems for March Release Two 10-minute subjects dealing with vital home-front problems and scheduled for March release have been announced by the War Activities Committee. The first, "The Story with Two Endings," tells the appalling condition of runaway prices after the Armistice of the first world wai', and gives practical advice on methods combating the catastrophe after the conclusion of the present conflict. The film was made by and will be released through 20th , Century-<Fox, March 1. The second, called "The Enemy Strikes," is a War Department subject which includes captured German films. It details the disastrous effects of complacency at home prior to von Runstedt's break-through in Europe. Universal will distribute the film for the WAC with the release March 15. Fox to Re-release 'Call of Wild' "Call of the Wild," starring Clark Gable, Loretta Young and Jack Oakie, produced originally under the 20th Century banner by Darryl F. Zanuck, will be re-issued by 20th-Fox as one of its 30th Anniversary Celebration pictures. NYU Educational Films Conference Production needs and uses of films in education will be the subject of a two-day conference of teachers, and producers and distributors of educational films at New York University on March 23-24. Arthur Mayer Mayer Pleads Cause At Red Cross Meet First of the 32 key city meetings to activate the 1945 Red Cross "War Fund Week" (Mar. 15-21) was held under the auspices of the Red Cross drive national committee of the War Activities Committee at the Waldorf Astoria, Tuesday (Feb. 20). The breakfast meeting was attended by some 1,300 industry representatives. Arthur L. Mayer, deputy commissioner of the Red Cross in the Pacific area, who flew more than 10,000 miles to be present at the important function, was the principal speaker. William F. Rodgers introduced by Maj. L. E. Thompson, National Executive Coordinator of Motion Picture Red Cross Week, acted as toastmaster. Short addresses by N. Peter Rathvon, National Chairman; Charles Reagan, WAC Distribution Chairman New York Area and Sam Rinzler, WAC Exhibitor Chairman, New York area, preceded the introduction of Mayer, who told of his experiences in the Pacific theatre of war, of the accomplishments of the Red Cross in providing material and spiritual things to lighten the heavy burden carried by servicemen all over the world. Mayer clarified the jobs of Red Cross field workers by describing actual performances. On Leyte, three hours after the first troops had waded ashore, there were three field men with a jeep loaded with coffee, sandwiches and other supplies while the bombardment continued and other soldiers poured onto the island. In all, 30 Field Directors went ashore on D-Day with the invading troops and in less than a week's time landed 10 tons of cigarets, toilet articles, chewing gum, lemon juice and reading material. Said Mayer : "That is just a part of where your Red Cross money goes." Supplies to prisoners of war, services of Red Cross girls in canteens, hospitals and rest camps were described by the deputy commissioner, who concluded with the plea that "whatever you meant to do, please do twice as much for the Red Cross, for after what they have done and are doing for millions of American boys, nothing you can do will ever be enough." Present on the dais in addition to the speakers were : Barney Balaban, Leon Bamberger, "Red" Barber, Edward Bell, Joseph Bemhard, Harry Brandt, Leo Brecher, Arthur Brilant, Colby M. Chester, Max Cohen, Frank Damos, Si Fabian, Herman Gluckman, Bernie Kamber, Milton Kusell, Harry Lowenstein, S. Barret McCormick, Harry Mandel, William Michel, Robert Mochrie, Charles Moskowitz, Paul Moss, John J. O'Connor, Harry Randal, H. M. Richey, Herman Robbins, Harry Ross, James Sauter, George Schaefer, Edward Schnitzer, William Scully, Spyros Skouras, Martin Smith, David Weinstock, William White, Adolph Zukor. 'Outlaw' Set for Release "The Outlaw," Howard Hughes' widely discussed picture, will be released late this summer or early in the fall by United Artists. The picture is part of the deal recently announced whereby Preston Sturges and Howard Hughes joined UA as independent producers releasing through that organization. Schwartz Touring RKO Theatres Sol A. Schwartz, general manager RKO outof-town theatres, and his assistant, William Howard, are on a tour of RKO's midwestem theatres. This week's itinerary calls for visits to Chicago, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Marshalltown and Sioux City.