Variety (Oct 1942)

Wcducsiky, October 28, 1942 55 'Real-Thing' War Pictures iL.ar with the cooperation of the British Army, Air Force, Navy and ?rown film units In various war zones and at home, are to be re- leased in the United States on a commercial basis, by eight major distributors under an agreement with the BrltUh Ministry of Infor- mation. U. S. dlstrlbs will select most suitable material from entire BMI output, which will be made available for release by Paramount, Columbia, Metro, RKO, Universal, Warners, 20lh-Fox and United Art- ists. Initial deal is for one year, and Involves six or more features plus 12 or more shorts. Some of the best war pictures made during the current conflict vill never be seen, because the (cenes shot in terrific air, sea and land battles in the Arctic, the Eng- lish Channel and along the coast of France are at the bottom of the seas together with the men wVio made them. In some instances the beginning and the end of pictures have been lost on the way back to port. Much o( the battle zone pictures made have been landed safely and It is be- lieved that there will be enough of these films to provide for a full re- leasing schedule. Cameramen will write the stories In celluloid, although under (he di- rection of studio technicians and writers who know both the war and the technical conditions. Total number of. pictures to be made is uncertain because it will de- pend on the volume of footage that British and Allied Nations camera- men get back with. Cooperation of British forces in getting footage for commercial re- leases indicates the importance at- tached to presenting the British and other United Nations war efforts to the American public. U.S. Fix tor Eocland British Ministry of Information will be taking those American films made in war zones, such as John Ford's 'Battle of Midway,' for com- mercial release in Great Britain. Among the features to be pro- duced by the BMI will be 'America Goes Into Action' and 'Western Ap- proaches,' latter dealing with U. S. and British fleet action in the At- lantic. Other pictures will be made about submarine warfare, the com- mandoes, air forces, and so on, all from footage taken in battle. Shorts will deal with various wartime prob- lems for the most part. Sidney L. Bernstein, director of the film division of the British In- formation Services, soon returning to England, in an interview in New York this week paid tribute to Low- ell Mellet for his understating and skill in handling the task of film co- ordination. Bernstein stated also that it was obvious that Hollywood is stripping for action, that directors, writers, producers and company heads arc beginning to understand the proper methods for tackling the Job of pub- lic information. He believes that the results of this awakening will be- come manifest within the next six or nine months in forthcoming re- leases. Contlnoed from page 1 tions as a wartime m«.ve that may develop into a normal operation. It's up to the gals themselves. Hire Chi Girls Chicago, Oct. 27. Entire technical staff of girls has been hired and trained to service W9XBK, Balaban & Kate television station in the Loop, handling the controls, studio cameras, operate the audeo and ■ video controls, power panels, and serving as stage man- agers and announcers. Stage manager is Fran Harris, for- mer radio actress. Others include Jean Schricker, former office worker and Rachel Stewart, former soda dispenser, both woritmg as camera- men, Margaret Durnel, onetime film router nnd Esther Rojewski, elec- tric appliance worker, as power panel operators, Pauline Bovrov, commercial arti.st and video control, and Jean Mintz, former secretary on audio control. Girls are known as the Women's Auxiliary Technical Television staff, otherwise the WATTS. They present one-hour-a-day in television broad- casts, including playlets, monologues, fashion sketches and musical enter- tainment. Technical gang has been trained and i.s supervised by Archie Brolly, only male technician left at .'Station. Bernle Sandler, 20, whose orches- tra had regular spots on WEBR and WBNY from nearby WilUamsville Glcn two years ago. Inducted Into U. S. Army and leaves Nov. 6. »l'«T«tcfrcj.s (WHAT THEY THINK On B way Still Unsettled Harry Salzman, formerly as.so- clated with Clifford C. Fischer, has not yet closed a deal for his tent circus idea in New York's midtown area, probably on the site of the old Hippodrome on Sixth avenue. Salz- man's plans are complete, even to heating plans for the tents. Salzman reputedly claimed Jules Brulatour and Gilbert Miller as sponsors of the circus, with Miller to be the 'presenter,' but Miller denies any connection with the out- fit. According to Miller's office, the circus plans were submitted to him, but the legit producer refused any part of the project. ANOTHER MICH. AREA PUTS NIX ON CARNIES Detroit, Oct. 27. The rebirth or con games with carnivals has resulted in their ban- ning in several area.s in Michigan. Late.<:t to rule out the carnivals Is Dearborn, Mich., who.'^e chief of police. Emry R. Evans, made a two- year fight for the new ordinance. It not only nixes carnlcs. but the new law forbids 'outdoor vaudeville dancing and so-called girl shows.' In fact, it will be a toush job for a circus to get into the major suburb here, since the law provides that only circuses without "midways, sideshows or carnivals' can come in. About the only exemption are two mechanical rides, Ferris wheels and merry-go-rounds. Seeking Edna Bush Los Angeles, Editor. 'Variety': I am coming to you as a last re ;0f half-baked orchestrations of j knock-kneed themes. No climr..\es. I Take the finale of 'The Woi ld at ' War.' The screen has a stirring sort. I have tried for several years '""r*"'"". °' marching soldiers to locate my cousin, who has been in the show business many years. Traveling in different directions we lost track of each other and my mother is more than anxious to find her. Her name was Edna Rush when I last saw her. She was the daugh- ter of Minnie Bud Harrison who passed away a few years ago. Minnie Bud Harrison married a man named Rush, also In the show business. He was manager of several burlesque .rhows. two of them 'Puss Puss Review* and 'Hollywood Scan- dals.' Lieut. Gladys Bush Carter, 'Women's Ambulance Corps). 2008 West 7th St., Los Angeles. the orchestra do? Give us a solid Wants Martial Marching Music Camp Barkeley, Texas, Oct. 20. Dear 'Variety': I'm curious to know whether your aim reviewers have the same reac- tion I had to the music in such Gov- ernment films as 'Salvage' and 'The World at War.' Here, in the Army, our films shown to groups for non-technical training purposes have a piece of main title and end title music that is brassy, footteasing. It's as whistleable as the Paramount News or Fox Movietone title music, which the boys on many a post know backwards. So what do we get from the screen in these other pix? A Jumble And what does Play a march? theme? No. We get something th.nt sounds like a truck full of collections from the scrap drive. Grating, un- rhythmic cacaphony. AM the build- up of the picture is lost In the harmonic mashed potatoes. Soldiers don't march to that sort of music. Nor do hearts beat to the sort of music these pictures have splattered out of the horns. Maybe the producers (whatever I branch of the U. S. Government they are) ought to hear that very corny, but very effective end-title of our Army training pictures. Or maybe they ought to see the Paramount or Fpx newsreels. Let's march to victory, to height- ened morale. We'll never get there with dishpan dissonance. Yours for martial music, A Second Lieutenant. P.S.—Rather you didn't us a name, although mine is on your 'Variety' subscription list. Just wanted to pass on a very strong impression! Or idea St By NAT KAIIN COLLEGE GAMES SATURDAY, OCT. 31 GAMES WINNEBS ODDS GAMES Ona Munson Continued from page 2 s he gave her the assignment of pro- ducing 'Victory BeUes,' an all-girl show for all-soldier audience. She'll also take the show to nearby camps every week to get the full advantage of directing. Back east Miss Munson followed up her long stage career with radio work and appeared In as many as 25 programs a week. On the Coast five years, her radio work has been alter- nated with pictures but she did manage to get In four years as Edward G. Robinson's vis-a-vis gn Big Town' before that program was washed out by Rinso. While a precedental move by CBS here, Miss Munson must share the rarity of producing from the distaff Bide with one or two others. Cur- rently Joan Cannon U handling 'Dr. Christian,' having Inherited the job from her former boss, the ex- Dorothy Barstow (now Mrs. H. K. McCann). Betty Buckler, up to a year ago, produced 'The Second Mrs. Burton' for Benton & Bowles, ?iru '^'^"a Bourbon, now with Ward Wheelock in the east, formerly di- rected for th, t agency here. If Miss Munson make a creditable showing in her first producer job— and the odds are greatly in her favor t'Ue to long experience and popu- larity in the craft—others of her tender can be expected to get seri- ous consideration from the big sta- ' EAST Boston College—Georgetown B. C Tlie Eagles won't find the Hoi/aa any setups. Bucknell—Lafayette Lafayette Mav wind up in a tia. Carnegie Tech—Plli Pitt Pttt is the stronger oi two weak teams. Coltynbla—Cornell Colambia The Lions are due ]or one upset uictory. Darlraoalh-Wm. ti Mary Dartmoath The southerners to suffer first defeat. Fordham-St. Mary's Fordham The loop trip jrom coast to weaken Gaels. Harvard—Prinrelon Princeton The Ti!7er attack is functioning strongly. Holy Croiis—Colgate Colgate The Crusaders fnay sneak through. Maryland—Fla. Fla. ria. travels in faster company. Penn—Army Penn Penn has flock of breakaway backs. Syracuse—\o. Car.-Pre-F. Pre-Fllght The first dc/eot for the Orange. Temple—MIcb. SUte Mich. Slate State showed plenty last week. West Va.—Penn State Penn State Stole rapitali:es on the breaks. Yale—Brown Brown Mnrgnrila won't be stopped two weeks in o row. SOUTH Auburn—IklliiS. Slate Miss. Stale Auburn is having on off year. Clemson—Wake Forest Clemson Clemson con score more o/tcn. Georgia—Alabama Georgia Best game of the week. Duke—Ca. Tech. Ga. Tech. The Blue Devils may upset 'em. No. Car.—No. Car. SUte No. Car. The Tarheels to resume their uiinning ways. Rice—Texas Tech. Rice Rice ha.t a better rounded otlock. San Francisco—Sania Clara Sanla CUra The Broncs back In win column. 3-1 Even 2-1 S-9 Even t-5 8-5 Even 8-5 Even 7-5 2-1 S-5 5-8 t-1 Even Even 8-5 2-1 12-5 WINNERS Trnn. Tennessee—La. Stale Clfera-Fuson to down State. Texas—SMU Texas The Longhoms are best in the southwest. Texas A&M—Arkansas Texas AAM The Aggies are due. TCU—Baylor TCU ODDS 0-9 2-1 Even Even The Homed Frogs to stay unbeaten in a close one. Tulunr.—Vanderbllt Tulaoe Tulane is ploying on home ground3. Even Even 12-5 3-1 4-1 Even Mnil Racketeering Ushers M^r RnN[ling Circus' One Day Stand b Knoxville Knoxvllle. Tenn.. Oct. 27. Plenty of mud and a racket worked by ushers had Knoxville circus fans saying 'never again' after Rlngllng Bros, circus played two sell-out per- formances here Friday (23). A heavy downpour Thursday night left the old airport, used as circus grounds, a field of mud. Announcement in the morning paper that this probably would be the last. circus for the duration brought out huge crowds, some of whom were victimized by ushers. The ushers charged SOc extra for seats they held out In the top rows of the general admission section, al- though fans had already paid for seats. They also put up extra seats hidden between rows and pocketed SOc apiece for these In the reserved seat section. Circus officials, informed of this, said, 'you bring in the usher.s In- volved and we'll take care of them.' The afternoon paper pointed out that it was up to the circus to police its employees. The show track and rings were lorn up and muddy, as was equip- ment and seat.?, and the performers moved .«o slowly that John Ring- ling North him.self got out on the Hack trying to speed things up. 'Seir u. s. I Continued from page 1 ^^^ J 2-1 Even 5-8 tile opeibtion of the film business .s not to be disrupted. The present hope is reported to be that as much I leniency will be shown in the man- power situation as in the earlier days of the war in Great Britain. It was ; not unlil the last year or two that , the urgent demand for additional manpower ultimately took numerous studio technicians, producers and players to the colors in Britain. I Reason for the confab on Improv- I ing publicity on the film business I war effort resulted from field re- ; ports picked up during the Septem- ber tx>nd campaign. It was learned I that in some places the average man i ' the street oddly enough, held the ^ opinion that the picture businoss did Even [ not do much of a Job in selling war ; bonds and stamps last month. Even ! Others got the idea that the indus- ; try was liald for carrying on the drive. 3-1 9-5 I2-S 9-5 Even NATIONAL PRO LEAGUE SUNDAY, NOV. 1 IrSmi Smith and Collins Continued from page 1 —; STANDING Won, 119; I,o«l, 63; Pel., 641 day war bond marathon Wednesday via WJSV. Senators heard from Collins on hia and Miss Smith's campaign to' fur- ther the Writers War Board cam- paign to popularize the last stanza of The SUr Spangled Banner' and expressed approval. Those present at the luncheon were: Senators Hattie Caraway, Ark;insas; Sheridan Downey, Cali- fornia; James M. Mead, New York; Ernest W. McFarland, Arizono, W.-l'r- F. CvoTSc. GcT"'"