Variety (Jan 1943)

nCTDlKB AH CeBsorial Bodies io Detroit Merged: fix, Sbige. Cafes, Etc Detroit. Jan. 10. ^ Marking the Arst change In the police cciKsorship setup here In SO years, tlie department in charge of Lieut Cliarles W. Snyder is being reorganized as a single division merging logetlier the variou.'i censor cliores. Tlie move also marlu ah increase in importance for what formerly was recognized as a de- partment now falls into the police cateijory of a division. It was pres- aged some time bnck when Sny- der's rank was incrca.'-'Cd from sergeant to lieutenant. . Previou.<:ly there had been sepa- rata censors fur motion pictures, staKe .'<hows. niuhl cliilxs and outdoor anuisemcni.s. all working .separately. Under the new plan Snyder, who Yta* been fliin cpiisnr for cipht yearis. combines all tlic dnlios under him and there have bi-.-n sialT cliange.< Sergt. Ji).<eph Kiill;ir. .Ntuite ccn.Hor, who al.si) is a IniKiiisl. hns been transferred lo Ihe Snccial Investi- gations Sqiiud where his knowledge of foreign lonKucs is useful, but his a.s.sistant. Edwju-H Hirk.s. renuiin.s in the cen.sor division, tlnward Slew- art, a graduate lawyer iind formerly attached' to the. Juvenile - Division, has been switched in and will start off handling all pix screenings. An- other addition is Stanley Anderson, who formerly wa.s In show biz. Under the new program the men wUl not stick to one assignment but will be switched around between vcreen and olher amusement work. Idea is that ii will bring more rounded experience In the work . aince police censorship here has the atrong bavkinu »r Ihe city olTicials and numerous iirKani/.aiions. THUMIAN W. ARNOLD SLATQ) FOR JUDGESHIP Washington. Jan. 19. Trustbuster Thurmim W. Arnold, who has been a thorn in the side of the mulion picture distributors on tha blockbonkinK matter and of James C. Pelrilln and (he American Federation of Musicians over his 'canned music" edict, is slated for a post on the bench. Assistant atlornoy eeneral In charge of the anti-tiii.-t division of tha department. Arnuld is undcr- ■tood to have been .selected to movi on to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia when the Senate conl^rms Wiley B. Rulledge. Jr. It Is kniiwn that Arnold had pravlouiily been olTerod places on <1ha bench and had refused them, preferring the active work of an •s.iistant attorney general. He will accept the appeals court post here. It Is understood, since i( will allow him (o remain in the capital. Hay, Hay! Easton. Pa.. Jan. 19. Th« Brass Rail, night upot near here, has solved the ban on pleasure riding by 'getting a horse' for lis patron.s. Business has been no bad since the bai<. on pleasure riding went into ef- fect that the management has announced a regular hay-wagnn servic* for lis patrons. Horse-drawn wagon.': will leave Centre Square here every niaht at 8:30 and pick up cu.<tomer.s on the way. Patrons will aUo be taken home. P. S.—There will actually be hay in the wagons. Metro 'Ratioiis' Beery Hollywood, Jan. 19. Wallace Becry's next starrer at Metro will be a home-war picture. 'Rationing.' ba.-:ed on a yarn by Rob- ert Hopkins. O. O. Dull is slated as producer^ with Grant Garrett doing the screen play. Further Cuts in Raw Small in 1943; 16innL Sash Also Co-op to Offset Pittsburgh, Jan. 19. Both downtown spots and. nabe cinemas ara meeting the ban on pleasure driving in most cases by moving up schedules anywhere fronv quarter to three-quarters of an hour in order to break last shows earlier. In past, Anal showings have fre- quently run well past 12 o'clock, anil th;.t°s been ruled out. inasmuch as bus and street car tran.sportation is generally curtailed here after mid- nigHI. As a'help to custom.er.s, theatres are prominently di.iplayint in the lobbies complete details of all time- tables for trolleys, suburban trains, etc.. and calling attention to this information via trailers. At same time, amusement biz delegation is working out plans with public util- ity companies to put several inipor- tant street- car lines on a more Aex- iblo schedule at night in order to increast availability of transporta- tion. Street^ cars are giving downtown niieries''* break already by rimning cars every half hour, instead of e er. hour, after 1 ai m. and they've also agreed, along with the bus liner, to augment Sunday schedules from 2 p. m. to midnight, hours the- atres ara permitted to ,operate here on that day. In pa.st. trolley and bus schedules have been risidly curtailed on Sundays. hdie Prodacers Look Ahead to Peace Era The Society of Independent Mo- tion Picture Producers, comprising topflight indie film makers, recently formulated a ^osl-->vnr planning proce.'i.s. dediratiuK tlioin.'jclves anew to tha highest American principles. ' Individually and colleilivcly .stre.ss- ing that they rate with the tops in purcha.ses of bonds. propaKanda film efforts, and the like, the SIMPP or- ganization is now looking ahead. SIMPP, headed by Lloyd WriKht. comprises Wall Di.-^ney. Sam Cold- wyn, David O. Sclznick. William Cagney. Or.son Welles. Hunt Strom- berg. Sol Le.sser. WalKr Wanger. Charles Chaplin. Mary Pickford. Alexander Korda. MORE SEAT SLASHING; NOW IT'S IN OMAHA Omaha. Jan. 19 Gale cra.shing having been nearly flopped by posting of warninns on all doors referring to U.S. penalties for getting in without paying tax. Omaha theatres now face a more .-erious menace. For pa.si few v.eeks. vandals have been concen- trating en cutting seats and doing other jobs about the hou.se in line of property destruction. Theatres have put patriotic trail- ers on screen appealing to patron.-.' patriotism, explaining that material cannot be replaced in wartime. I! Iielped a little but sla.-hed .seals ».'« This Metro Salesman Resents Tdm Peddler V Gripe oh Gas Ratwnins Pittsburgh. Edilor, 'Variety': In 'Vorieiy.' Drc. 30. I read a letter from 'Just a Film Peddler.' In wl-.ivli he complains that nothing i<. bcii:i; done to m;l extra gasoline fur him althouith he i.-' expected to t(et pl.i.'>- datos for 'propaganda reels that are being lunied out like douRhi-.ul.- in Wa.Oiinglon.' I don't believe hi> attitude i>. rei>- resenlative of the rciil lllm sulc>ni:." who appreciates the dilticuitics facet by our Governme'iit in attemiitinu t" ration gasolino and rubber to tl-e best advania;ii' of everyone con- cerned. E-pccially do I believe he i- way off the track when he write.- .'many of them huvc per.sunally slated . . let the Government send out its own men to get the dates for various propaganda Alms.' The OWI has just released its S2d subject after about 18 months. Thi.v is le.«s than one subject a week. Each of the several distributors have glad- ly undertaken to share the responsi- bility for getting Iheiri dated and the industry ha.-: done a Ane job. Why apy 'Aim ped<Ilcr' would want to cre- ate the impression that his Govern- ment had not been properly grateful for this elTort is beyond me. I expect to' go..on trying to get even more playdate.< for the war Alms than ever, despite the difTiculties of trans- portation. I don't expect any favor- itism in my comparatively easy job of getting war Alms dated. I remem- ber the many former Aim salesmen now in the armed forces who might think me michty imappreciative of my job. salary, and safety from the many pei-.^onal di.<comforts and dan- gers they are undergoing. I don't believe 'Film Peddler' speaks for anyone but himself and I don't believe he is much more than the name he has given himself. 'Film Peddler.' We Aim salesmen who are pround of our profession are not go- ing to worry oiu- Government of- Acials. but Intend lo go on giving all we can to the promoiion of the war effort and we personally resent Ihe implication in 'Film Peddler's' letter that any of us are going to relax our war effort. Imagine, if you can. a former mem- ber of our rank—now in Africa or Guadalcanal. ' rising up from his Aijhling to slate that he intends to quit because la.<t week's food and clo.lhing ration was not what he had a right to expect for his Aghling. This is a picture of 'Juft a Film Ped- dler.' some hero.' We of Ihe Film Bn.-iness are thor- ouKhly ashamed that anyone rcpre- .siMiling *hiiii.-eir to be a sincere American .-honld \^rilo such a letter .tfilioii Brauman I Metro I P. S.—I am R 'B' card holder. Fast Enough An i:'.dic:ilion of the fa."! turn- over 01 service hcl|> iii theatres is cited by Ilcr:rnii Sleplan. as- sistant inni.a.v;<'r mI tiie RKO Coli.-cuiTi. N. Y. lie went out to dinner one day last week at 5 p.m. and on're- turnini: at li:UU was stopped by a new doorir.im who insL^ted he •gel an okay frum the manager III go in.'>icic. Distrib; Differ I Spencer Tracy to Be Metro's 'Guy Named Joe* Hollywood. Jan. 19. Director chore on Alelro's forth- coming aviation talc. 'A Guy Named goeit to Victor Fleming, under production supervision of Everett Riiikin. Slated for co-siarrins rules ara Irene Dunne and Spencer Tracy. 'Touhy' for Florey ; Hullyuond. Jan. 19. Director chore on 'The Life of Roger Touhy' ?oes to Ruberl Florey. who will lead a crew to Staleville Prison, nr.. this week for back- grpunds. Lea MarciLs pi-.'i lures the 20lh- Fox. feature under executive super- vi«li>n by Bryan Foy. DACHAU THEME SONG SHORT DUE FROM ENG. Verboten iheiiSc -ong hummed, by inmates of the inramuus Dachau con Harry Joe Brown Leaves till being reported. Ji^dges hhve ; ^.^,,„,.„|„„ ^..^„.y^ „, Germany. 'J^irt already given .tevere sentpnces to ^'p Your Head. C"mr*de.' is title of young hoodlum.< foimd gii:liy. . „„e „f («■„ |j,;i...| Br::i>li Ministry of Inrorinaiioii shuri". M-heduled for re- \e-dse via maiin- I.'. S. distribs .shori- , Iv under llic airanaemenl set last Col, Readies Sta^e Play j UW. prisoner.^ caught singing the Hollywood. Jan. 19. ! n.niioer koi hand.- and feet broken Harry Joe Brown, produecr at Coluiiibia for the^a.si year, checks off the lot on compleiion of his cur- rent picture. '.Mtack By N'l^lr." law Film Rebates DilTern-.i-.- i.t ii|)iniii:. h-i.-. ari.-en a:i'.i>n'.> tli.^lriliMUirs renardin;^ meth- ods SiK ehiimin^ the SU'. raw slock credil allowed by the War Produc- tion Board on lilms s<ild to Army and Navy theatres in continental U. S. Some of Ihe distribs Aiiure ihc number of prints u.scd on 'A' prod- uct and bookiuK.s, re;inrdle.-:s of the grade of picture, and set a general, footage claim f<n' S0"< of the raw Aim involved. Pointed out in sev- eral quarter.s. however, that B. C and borderline A pictures do not get. the isame number of bookings as important - product, because soldiers and Army bookers arc as discrimi- nating as civilians. As a result more footage would thu.s be reclaimed than*actual bookings Indicate. Other distribs set aside a given number of prints to take care of the Army circuit and Agure on a 50% raw Aim rebate, though Ihe prints may not make the full round of the camp theatres. ^ METRO'S PRODUa DEAL WITH NAn THEATRES Hollywood. Jan. 19. Final details of Ihe sale of 'Ran- dom Harve.sf and 10 other features to National Theatres were completed here at a huddle of .selling and buy- ing .staffs with William F. Rodgers representing Metro and Ed Zal>el acting for the theatre chain. It was Ihe llrst National Theatres piu'cha.se of Metro product this year. The ea.-^tern group will r.'- main in town for another week checking up western sales problems and conferring with studio exec*. N. Y. World-Telly Urges Civilians Seek Amus. N. Y. World-Telegram Is ruiming a .serici of eiKht special announce- ment.': in its columns dnrina Jaiuiary and Fcbruiiry drawing attention to enlertaiiuncnt facilities in the city. I emphasi;!in;{ the value ot recreation i for civilians and '.saluiinK the enter-, tainment world for its genero.-ity lo, the armed force'.' I Piiblisher.s .state they 'believe it is Further cut in raw Aim stock al- locations inay become necessary later during the current year. aU though War Production Buai'il offi- cials will endeavor .!•> maintain Aow ot celluloid on the current bnsi^ of 25''; below 1941 con.-umption lig- ures. It • is understood, however, that any further cut would be com* paratively .'small, barring unforeseen developments. Should C.'iovcrnmental auciicic.- de- cide to fiillow lhi-v)iiuh i-n L'i>'.ell. Mclletfs views iMi .sinule-bil'.ii ,>i t elimination of dual.- I)y decree, fol- lowing u canvas <>[ o|ipi>.-.i!i-j v ei'. s in tile ti'iido. which i- sill! u'-iier consideration, •'the v»\\ -i"rk .-ininly problem wou!<l he ea.-ed I > .- -iw ex- ; tent for the WPB. Under the quot;is .-e: ii;V fur ti.e I lir.-t quarter of lilt:) ilie II .-iisti:i:i< i have been allowed a|>|>riixi-ita!eiy I'2yy.000.0bu feet of :).i inin. .-'I icU. ;ir ': on an aiuiual ba.-N ot l.inil.li;IO.IlOil .feel. It is believed. hii>ic\er. Ilwil the raw film >u|>nlv available I'^ir enlertainincnt purpu-e- during the 12-month periiid. will be under 1.000.000.000 feci alier 'mi'ltary, .-cienlilie and Governinciil lilni need.s are provided for. In addition, .some provisim lia.t also been under con.-ideralioii fur 'hardship' cases where indeper.der.t prodiK'cr.s mifjhl he ci'l <-n entirely from supplies of rilin. <'r ni:ij<ir dis- tribs miuht And themselves uii-ible to maintain norn-..-)l operations due lo the cut. Till.- would (urllier cut into the quota.-. WPB Meetlni Further .slash in 16 mm. Aim fur civilian entertainment imrime and reexamination o( raw Aim credit* for newsrcels are afnor.:; prublenu .scheduled to be discus.ieri at meeting of industry reps and War Produc- tion Board ofHcials in Washington on Friday (22). Paramount. 20lh-Fox. Universal, United Arli.sls and Monogram have been among those companies selling 16 mm. rights to their pictures. Cut in 16 mm. stock will likely reduce prints and eliminate a larxe num- ber of itinerant exhib. &choolhoiisa and pari.sh hall showings which many theatre operators have in the past complained about. Move to cut allocation.- for 16 mm, di:-tribs is necessitated by increased Aim requirements of armed' forces abroad. . The Aim indiijii-y has un- dertaken to supply troop.s with 4.500 Aim progrurhs of an average length of 10.000 feet, equivalent to 4.000 feel of 35 mm. slock. Overall re- quirement.s. for 4.500 programs, on present estimates of 22 prints per program, would call for .supply of some 396,000,000 feet or ra-.v stock. New.->reel stock crcdil.s for major distribs are al.so slated to be di.s- cu.ssed at meeting. Although tenta- tive plan has been near adoption whereby reels would be maintained at 750 feel, of wliich .*iO feet per i.s:aie would be .supplieil fiooi Of? (lee of War Inforinali'iii rmilaite, pi'opo.-al may be uverliaiiled a! tha coiniiif! scshiun. JACK DIEH AWAITS JAN. 26 SENTENCE or worse. 'Comrade' i.- a BMI plea for tol- erance for lefiiK'T-. It's about Aus- :i'i,-»n-'and Ciei nia:).- now in the fliiht Whn^'nw^ih;; Tfrnin-e' Aln^a^ainsl ll,:l,.: ■-n^ ielii.g why tl^Ve connection. Brown is linin;! up a; laken up a:':::- aKa.i:>l Iheir native staue production of the Sn-phen Ijland <;ipss play. ■Legend of I.oii.' .-'.ale'l for an .^pril opening a; the C r ra-.. Frisco. J, E. HOOVER'S FOREWORD J. Edgar Hoover, head of the Fed- eral Biiieau of Investuali"!'. is writing a foriMvord r')r '.\exl "f Kin.' British-made p;c".ir<» v. h . h Universal is releas.ng m .ih<! t'. S. Feature is .set f'lr rei'-a-e early in March. Present indlealioi-s are tha Ihe elimination of a few words will .speed ,ls .-ipii e.nr M by , the Havs off.ce. wlili U ai-l . ipal.iix ; in m-.'l-Ke:^r ia: > l-alesi addit.o onlv a few inin..r cuts. I U-e ca.-i is D.mu.h Reed. Other . B.MI .-!"iri s<;).edule(l fur ei);ly release i- ■.\ t"r Fiiim Vl- .-ler.' reliMod W Letter From Norlh- eiii Iieliiii'd' f'H- I.'. S. relea.se. It'.s aijini' a Yank .-nlri.crs imprc.'i>i»ns liver there. Zimmy'i 'Affair' II..1'- w.iod, .Jar.. 19 Meliii s.-.-ijiiefl K:e(l /.i-n'i ei'-iai: riirc'" '.Mai :• .-i-je I- a I'ii\a:c At- tn'r.' eo-.-:aii .:-.g Lana Tiiir.er and Gene Kelly. Pa- dro Bern .'.•■i pioriiice?. >,'ariing lo K Qiiilly in Icieiii! ill-lrict Nr^^an. 14 l« iii'lidinent hi'.{lily iinportaiit tliai civilian Amer.; ,.|,.,,.j.,„g (jvasinii of incujee lax i):i.'/- ira keep iis baliince d iring v.arli!i!e.' ,„ 1930 and I9S7 Ja' k Diet/:. ?'or. while ihoiisano? idav .seek re- f,,. nier producer or - of cliiim- lief from extra ps" '"c "'■ ■ |»ifc;!«Mf»..f>«v7r llalil.s. he seii- and Olher forms nf eniei laiNiiiesii, |,.,|,.,.,| jjm. 2(1 liy Ju'ije William it i.s v.-ell known tha: other Ihoiisaiids j gfl„,|y. ■deny them-elves such pleasure eilhi-r. d.ps/. aceordli.e to iiidiei:r.-.i!. :le- beciiiLse of the co.si-or-livina in- j-ned ineomc of moie than $:i0ll.0t)O crea.se. or fatigue, or becau.-e' Ihey dm injj tho.>ie t'.'.'o years from illeijal teel It is unpatriotic :<> eniny fnein-, (|.^,,,ii,ution ol light pictures in ii selves wlvilf abroad. 'l! is si-.;nirM-aii'. lha'. ihe .\imed Services rpi'')aiii/.e ihe vali: of re- laKaiinn in inoti'ii, |ii>-l'ire--. in ir.ii.sic: in danci!'.-.!' ai.d oil.-'i f»i:. .- oT en- leriainmei:!.' Ts. Y. I'o-: '.:->• a!-o been devolinis ,!iace in regular .new-- lolnnms |iiiii:'.ni( up enier'.i.iiineii! val-.ie.'. .so iiiiich siillering i*. icixtaic commerce and failed .0 de- clare earning.-. Governmi-nt C')n- lc:.ds he owes total of S20n.23T in income tax. ', Jackton't Durbiner ll-il!yAoiid. Ja'i. 19. Fe!ix Jack>on move-l into U'll- veral yesterday iMo-i i under hit new contract as piod'jeer-.vrlter \v.i:\t Hcr's 10 Hold.' a« W-.- Arst I pi iid'ictibii, siarriiig Deama Der- • bin. F'lii-M- Bergen and Kay Kv.sci are i Rctiirmng lo Univei.ia!. Jackson ^si^i.ed a- co-s:ai.- a: ItKO in Keep | laUf-s over l-.e m)"1 Kyser-Bergen's Tunefibn Ilollyw'iod. Jan. 19. 'Km S ni;iiii<.' a fthmi-icat w.ih an iinaijiiarv localion at "'.c North African IjaMlerrotil. Allan D-.vaii -lai!- Ihe p.cime roll- ing ear'y ii: .Maiclras piodm'r-di- reci >r. lime heid bv Joe Pa.-ieinak ar.rl lai.-ly bv Bruca Mai.nin;;. lie collaljoiate'J on sev- eral ol the early Diirbi-: (lic'ure.i before he ihifieri l<i MetiO fir a wriiiiiu job .Vlaiiiii'sg i- in Waih- ii:i5l-in to handle, a 0-ivei iif;'eni pic- ture.