Variety (March 1944)

18 PICTURE GROSSES Wednesddyt March 8, 1944 T. Dorsey Tflts 'Jingle' to All-Tirae High40G,Cmcy;'UpinAnns'Triinl5G ■ ■ Tpmmy ■toto'soy briiid,, Mi*cd wth •■'Sing a ■' Jingle.''is jauiniing, the Aibee for Clncy's, 'best b.Pf gince/lflZS., tJespile this cohip.etiiion'i preerit' 6£ ••Up in Arm.i\', is- .Stout -at :the Palace/ .,• VSnow Wl'iite'' reissue -has the .Grand .liv velvet ori; a :.b«Uipyer'a ojiig. hPuse- Kecovd on .Kickaff, Estimates for This Week Albec (RKO) (3.100; 50-85)—"Sing B Jingle" (U) and Tommy Dorsey pfch" on stage.;.;:With Gene Krupa.: D. corobo^.pMx.iiJB a Gincy the- atre £or the first time, soaring to smash $40,000,; city's record gross since the late "20s. House is opening at 9;30 a.m. £pr six-a-day showings and seven on Sat. and Sun. Last week, "Actipp Arabia" (RKO) plus Bill Rpbinspn, others, pn stage, huge $26,000. Capitol (RKO) (2.000; 75-$1.10)— "Bernadette" (20th) ,(3d \vk). Wmd- ing up stay with a sIpw $7,500. Last week, fair $12,000. Family (RKO) (1.000; 25-35)— "De vil R ider.s" (PRC) and "Sp's Ypur Uncle" TUT spirt~wifh~"Hara- Kiri" (Ind.) and "Married Murderer" (Ind.). Hot $2.(i00. Same last week fpr "Always Bridesmaid" (U) and "Pride of Plains" (Rep) divided with "Ghost Walks Alpne" (Col) and "Uncensored" (20thJ. Grand (RKO) (1,430; 35-65)— "Snow White" (RKO) (reissue). Eight days on holdover. Hefty $9,500 after last week's $17,000, which set a house recprd. Keith's (United) (1,500: 35-65)— "Tender Comrade" (RKO). Secpnd switch for third downtpwn weeki Solid $5,500. Last week, "Happened One Night" (Col) and "Lost Hori- zon'' (ColT* (reissues), sock $7,500. Lyric" (RKO) (1.400; 35-65)— "Frisco Kid" (WB) (reissue). Ter- rif $9,000. Last week, "Fighting Seabees" (Rep) (2d wk), swell $7,000. Palace (RKCD) (2,600: 35-65)—"Up in Arms" (RKO). Nifty $15,000. Last week, "Guv .Named ^ Joe" (M-G), wham $21,000. Shubert (RKO) (2,100: 35-65)— "Guy Named .Toe" (M-G). Move- over. Great $10,000. Last week, "Tender Comrade" (RKO) (2d run), good $5,000. Academy Awards continued from p»Ke 3 Spimd, transparency; ■.and . pihofpg- Excellent Showmanship In shPwmanship, this year's fpod- less Oscar festival wn4 the best in the "Academy's histpry. Its lack p£ fehbw Was fillfed . by ' ehtertainmeht; speed Rhd '■. genpxaV managerial ef- ficiency. Lpng-winded orations were eliininated and'. wiilners wel'e ■ ati'-, nounced briefly and early over the radio with Jack Benny at the mike. Broadcasting started promptly at 10:15 and was timed at a radio pace, which naturally vpided the 'mpnptp- nous speeches that had dulled the progKims in the pa.st. . , , ■ . Held ill the Chinese theatre on Hollywppd boulevard, the sliow had all the atmosphere pf an pldiime premiere, with, steychl'ights fingering PCA Signs Walt Mayo As Gen'l Prod. Manager Hp'xlywppd, March 7. * Walter Mayo, formerly with Alex ander Koida and i-ccentiy with Samuel Goldwyn, was sigiicd as gen eral production manager for ProdU' cers Corp. of America. First chore under his supervision will be "O'Brien's Navy," to be fol lowed by "The Greeks Had a Wprd for It." ' Scophony Tele Prez Wins Film Commissions Suit Arthur Levey, Scpphpny. Televi- \ sion Co. prexy, has won both actions involving monies due him from HPnogram Pictures and Producers Releasing Corp.,. for handling . their ■ product originally in England. Jury brought ill a verdict in about 30 minutes for the amount sought, $3,015, frpm PRC last week after week's trial in N. Y. supreme court before Justice George Frankentha- ler. Actually the verdict settled the fact that the company must pay Levey commissions over a three- —jear period, endio" v.-ith 1944-45 sea-. ^ son. or $36,000 to S40,000. ok Monogram settled out of court, paying Levey '$60;000 for commis- Hp'.sions.' V'' . PRC contended that commissions to Levey ceased with the distribu- lion of its 1941-42 product in Britain, . but the jury found in favor of Levey including three years' endingy with all product for the 1944-45. season. the skies-and throngs of villagers ogling the film royalty, For the' first time, the public was permitted to crash the gate and View the hitherto secret rituals, and the public enjoyed it. Chances are ■ that the same .I'pr- mat will be used in future Oscar shews, withput dinners. ,■ ' 'COMRADE' LEADER IN PROY„ BRIGHT $18,000 Prpvidnce, March 7. All. stands are goltiiij; nice play this week with llajcstic's "Gung Ho." Lpew's "Spng pf Russia" and RKO Albee's "Tender Cpmrade" all in the SRO class. "Cpmrade" lpok.s like top money. Estimates for This Week Albee (RKO) (2,300; 30-50)—"Ten- der Comrade" (RKO) and "Rookies Burma" (RKO). Packing plenty'of punch at $18,000. Last week, "Women Bendage" (Menn) and "Sultan's Daughter" (MPnp), trim $10,000. Carlton (Fay-Lpew) a,400; 30-50) —"Lifebpat" (20th) (2d run). Fair $3,000. Last week, "Happy Land" (20th) and "Weekend Pass' (U) (2d run), diltp. Fay's (Fay) (2.000; 30-50)—"Na bonga" (PRC) and vaude pn stage. Gpod $7,000. Last week, "Pride of Plains" (U) and vaude, nice $7,500. Majestic (Fay) (2.200; 30-50)— "Gung Ho" (U) and "Hi, Good-Leok- in" (U). Stepping out for snappy $15,000, Last week, "Lifeboat" (20th), fairish $10,000. Metropolitan (Snider) (3,200; 36 59) --"Married Murderer" (GB) and Guy Kibbee heading stage show. Three-day weekend run strong $ 000. Last week, "Silent Barriers" (Indie) and Louis Prima orch head irig stage ."how, about same. State (Loew) (3.200; 30-30)—"Song Russia" (M-G). Getting strong $16,- 000. Last week, "Guy .JMamed Joe" (M-G) (2d wk), snappy $14,000. Strand (Silverman) (2.000; 30-50)— "Miracle of Morgan's Creek" (Par). Opened big Monday (6). Last week, "Fighting Seabees" (Rep) (2d wk), good $8,000. • New lA Pact r^nlitiiiiiod from D.igc 7 SSSOm sentiiig studio; Nate Blutiiberg, Uni- vcrsal prcsident; J. i. O'Connor, v p. and D. H. McCdusland, studio labor contact; N. Peter Rathvon, prexy of RKO; L. E. Thompson, eabtern labor reprc.'-entativc, and William Stone, Coa.sl labor contact; Abe Schneider, Col v.p., and B. Guild, studio labor head; H, A, McDonald, studio man- ager of Republic; Dave Shattuck, representing Technicolor on labor matters; Pat Casey, general labor contact for all pi-oducers, plus his as- sistants, Victor Clark and Fred Pel- ton. Also sitting in is Homer Mit- chell, attorney lor the Motion Pic- ture Producers Assn. ., The other side was represented at the Monday meeting by Richard F. Walsh, lA president; Louis Krouse, secretary-treasurer; Carl Cooper, lA v.p. headquartering in Los Angeles and representives of 10 lA studio lo- cals. The First Aid & Nurses Union, lllh in the lA group, did not send a representative east. After finishing with the lA. the producer group will go to bat _ori new contr act w ith seven other in- ternational unions who are part of the studio basic agreement, these being Musicians, Carpenters, Team- sters, Plasterers, Hod Carriers, Culi- nary Workers and Electricians. Whether or not twp-year contracts will be negotiated this time has not been indicated but may be for one year instead due to wartime. Old two-year agreements expired Dec. 31 last, with result any new deal will be retroactive to then but subject, of course, to War Labor Board ap- proval. STUDIO lATSE ENVOYS TO VIEW EAST PARLEYS Hollywood, March 7. Studio locals of lATSE are sending two special tepresentatives tp New Yprk tP gander at the negptiatipns between film producers and union business agents. Understood the lATSE scouts will not sit in officially on the- parleys, but will check various moves to see the interests of 8.000 film workers are protected. It was indicated that, if the scouts fee;! their crafts are not getting a proper deal, they, will rec- ommend to local unions that the U.S. Department of Labor be a-sked to step into the picture. Admish Tax . Continued from page. 7 Looks Like Earl Hudson Will Be Mayor Next; Key City l^x Briefs Detroit, March 7. The most important recent civic appointment here finds Earl J. Hud- son, president of United Detroit The- atres, named to the Street Railway Commission. The theatre and radio business here is widely represented in major city ppsts and Hudspn's ap- ppintment is a new recognition of the ci\ic responsibilities accepted by those in show biz. The appointment by Mayor Jeffries finds Hudson in the policy-making position which, controls all Detroit municipal transportation which is civic-owned. In addition to heading the United Detroit chain here, Hud- son is the Office of Civilian Defense coordinator for the theatres of metropolitan Detroit, air raid war- den for Area 21, one of the com- mittee stafl members for E Bond sales and state chairman of the mo- tion picture division in the current Red Cross campaign. Replacing Floyd E. Ackefman, who was slain in a holdup Dec. 5,, Ed ward W. Plett has been named manager of the four Butterfield Circuit houses in Bay_City. JHett, vvhp_ ha s be en rnarv- aging the Strand at Pentiac, takes charge of the Bay, Regent, Weetown and Center houises formerly han- dled by Ackerman. ■ Isaac Resniclc has been named manager of the Rex, Detroit. Femmes'Continue to figure plenti- fully in managerial ch.uiges hero with Faye Laiuion named manager of the Midtown and Elviia Donhan- yos upped to assistant manager at the Grande. Robert Salter.?, manager Rpyal. Niels Nelson, manager Rupert. Charles Davie," manager of the Echo. pf the of the ■ WB's French Versions Mpntreal. :March 7. • Serving as the Quebec shew wm- dpw. for the Warner ■ Brps. French product, tfie Orpheum. l,100-.seater and .first-run theatre on the- Main film-shopping street pf this city, will open April 7 With "Le Cicl et Toi," French language version of 'All This and Heaven Too," according to Wolfe Cphen, general manager fpr WB in , Canada. April . 7 is-the .date when the Orpheum will have played pff its already released first-run EnglishTlanguage", films.. '■ This,will he the bpeffer ;0f Freiioh dialog films at the. Orpheum. . "Le Ciel et Toi" was first presented ex- ■ pei'iirieBt ally at - ,th e G a pi to]. Quebec City, last ■ November ' an.d.' clicked' in' this and . subsequent 'dates in..-the manager of that circuit'.^i Northsiiiie theatre. Replaces Malcelm McDon- ald, tapped for Navy. Gustave J. Boudot named manager of United Artists' Cincinnati ex- change. Succeeds Don dalvin, who joins U.A. sales. Interstate Grooms New Workers . ; - .Dallas, March ,: . A-school in maintenance is bong held here for personnel ot Iiucrstate Circuit, hard hit by manpower prob- lem, since about 600 employees now are .serving colors. New Interstate employees are instructed about in- tricacies of show biz. Henry Bergman named now innn- ager pf Aztec, San Antonio. Jack O. Mitchell to Majestic, replacing Wel- don Parsons. W. W. Donaho to Em- pire, and Miss Beulah Greene, from Empire to Texas, all San Antonio houses of Interstate. F. W. Allen has succeeded Wallace Walthall as branch manager of the National Screen Service, latter being promoted to N. Y. office. Safe of Lison, Dallas nabe house, owne d by Oscar Korn, opened by burglars'"an"a~$600"tn" cash-and-other valuables taken. * F. W. Allen, assistant manager of National Screen Service office here, promoted to manage branch; Allen replaces Wallace Walthall, promoted to special rep out of the N, Y: ofl ice. Other., .exchange changes .include , Walter Steadman to post of ofl'ice manager, replacing Leo Smith. Dave.. Mitchell is new service manager re*, placing Harry Harris. Miss Schwartz New Davcnpoii Mgr. ..,;■''.' ■ ■ ' 'Des-Moines, 'March - With Fred Danico, manager of Es- (juire, Davenport, la., going into Navy this month, Shirley Sthwartz, former assi.stant manager at the Cap- itol. Davenport, becomes Bisciuire manageri . Sara Wichmann, who was assistant to Danico, goes to the Cap- itol as assistant. Jim Clemens is nfw assistant: to Miss : Schwartz at the. Esquire, lie was assistant manager at the Rocket, : Rock Island. New setup gives H. G.. Grove, Tri-States district - managef,; - three feminine managers. Besides Miss Schwartz they are Margaretha Hudgell at Rocket, Rpck Island,'and Clem Bur- ger at Strand, Ipwa City. Guy Reopening? House ' ; Denver; March .7.. S. L. Guy is reppcning the Hotch- kiss at Hntchkiss, Colo, Ralph J, Batchelet, Bluebird man- ager, re-elected president of East Denver Board, of Trade, ; Tom iBsS.iley, former RKO .salesrnan in,.San Francisco,. has ,mov(;d. in aS, prpvihce -,0f-; Quebec;, ■ ; e0coUragliig I maivager of Denver '.exeh^nge,, soe^-^ Warners to announce a" full season's 1 ceeding Al Kolitz, who gets another schedule of -French-reiniakcs- i^v xe- assignment-.,: vantage on the ultimate gross reve' nues. Rhine Back to RKO Hollywood, March 7. Edward Rhine, former casting di- rector at RKO, returned to his old job after two years oflf the reserva- tion. For 18 months he ,served as an exec at Central Casting Bureau and re- cently was- assistant- studio manager Bt RKO-Pathe. FUU HOUSE FOR U Hollywood, March 7. Universal's stages reach the satura- tion point this month with four new productions added to-the five carried over from February. New features are "Murder in the Blue Room," "Sohg of the Hills," "Dead Man's Byes" ahd a Gloria Jean musical, still untitled. ON TO 'OIEL'S TOW Hollywood, March 7. Director task on Paramount's "Girl's Town," a tale of femme war workers, goes to George MarshttU.. Filming starts April 10 With Joseph Sistrom producing and Fred MacMurray; and Veronica Lak6 as co^stacs. Tiltins Prices Minneapolis, March 7. Minneapolis independent exhibit- ors wiU meet .this week to determine action regarding the impending in- creased admission tax. Many ex- hibitors favor a tilt of. the .prices to an even money level. It is indi- cated that there will be' no absorp- tion of the tax by. exhibitors and that the advance to an even money level likely will represent a boost of jseveral cents in „the basic -admis sioi:i in-many situations;. .- A number of Twin City inde- pendents in recent weeks have upped their scales a nickel, lease in ,Ihis.province .. ■ "Urie FeirirP'e ".pangereuvse" .('-They Drive By Night") and "LAigie des Mer" ("The Sea Hawk") also played the -Capitol, Quebec, under WB aus- pices, registermg gro.sses fiom 2i>- 40"<, higher than the Bouse average for an English-language film. Take Over 3 in Chi Chicago-,-March 7. - B-P-.R Corp., . new theatre com F. H. Rickelson, Jr. president of Fox-lntermountain Theatres, has been elected to directorate of Colo- rado Museum of Natural History. Arnold Benson is reopening the Pecos at Pecos, N. M.-' ,K«mm Adds to. His Circuit ■' \&t. Louis, March 7. Sam Kpmm, indie film theatre owner, \vh6.- has been .expandi.ng his circuit, has. added. another via. .th^.. pany headed by Michael Siegel and Ptirchaso Pt Maplewood theatre in St Torple Heart' High $37.(li in Del; Hmnan Boosts 'Uninvited' Huge 46& : • Detrpit, March 7; . Lofty biz in Detroit this week at major houses, Michigan is taking the top spot with "The Uninvited'- and Woody Herman's orchestra on stage; The Fox nails a big figure with the opening of "Purple Heart" and "Hat Check Honey." Estimates for mi* Week Adams (Balaban) (1,700; 55-75)— "Butler's Sister" (U) (2d wk) and "Racket Man" (Col). Former moved from Fox, strong $10,500. Last week, "Jane l^re" (20th) and "Sing Jingle" (U) (2d wk), robust $10,800. Broulwar-Capltel (United Detroit) (2,800; 55-75)—"Women Bondage" (Mono) and "Sultan's Daughter" (Mono). Not exciting at $10,000. Last week, "North Star" (HKO) (2d wk) and "Swing Pever" (M-G) (3d wlT), from other U-D houses, brisk $15,000. Fox (Fox-Michigan) (5,000; 55^75) —"Purple Heart" (20th) and "Hat Check Girl" (U). Wham $37,000. Last week, "Butler's Sister'' (U) and "Mad Ghoul" (U), great $35,000. Madison (United Detroit) (1,800; 65-75)—"True to Life" (Par) and "Watch on Rhine" (WB). Return of picture which figured in - Academy awards helping this to choice $5,300. Last week, "Mr. Lucky" (RKO) and '•'Above Suspicion-' (Par), back for fair $4,500. Mlchlgaii (United Detroit) (4,000; 55-75) — "Uninvited" (Par) with Woody Herman OFCh on stage, Huge: $46,000. Last week, "Riding High" (Par) and "Mine Sweeper" (Par) (2d wk), strong $18,000 on. first week's great $26,000. Palms-State (United Detroit) f3,- 000; 55-75)—"Govt. Girl" (RKO) and "Tarzan's Desert Victory" (RKO) (2d wk). Fine $16,000 behind first week's strong $22,000. United Artists (United Detroit) (2,000; 55-75)—"Girl Crazy" (M-G) and "Man Down Under" (M-G) (2d Wk). Bright $15,000 coming up after^ first week's lound $19,000. Ben Eisenborg, has taken over the Banner, Royal and Paulina theatres from Abe Gumbiner, who is retiring because his son, who operated the houses for him, has' been drafted, Michael Siegel, who has been manager of the Banovitz circuit's Grand for the; pa.st eight months,: will actually manage the houses, while Ben Eisenberg, the other part- ner,, continues his -sales affiliation with the local Monogram Pictures branch. F-WC Buys Another House Los Angeles, March 7. Fox-West Coast, bought the Alca- zar, Bell, Cal., from J. B. Spaugh, at a reported price qf $100,000. Deal, negotiated by W. H. Loller, includes not only the theatre proper but four stores and 20, apartments in the building. Circuit also operates the Alpha and Bell theatres in that area, under lease. Dfore Femme S<Ers. In Pitt. Pittsburgh, March 7. Norman Meyers has resigned as manager of Barry, owned by Bill Skirball, and Morry Baker is re- placing.-; Meyers < succeeded Mannie Greenwald when latter, who had piloted house since Skirball took it over in, 1936j went into Army. Dick Brown, veteran WB manager, who has been on the sick list since last summer, is back in harness again and has been assigned by circuit to Regent theatre, nabe house in East Liberty. He's taking over for John Conheim, on a leave of absence. Herb Greenblatt, RKO manager here, appointed chairman of distribs division of .War Activities Committee, Western Pennsylvania. Replaces John J. Maloney, Metro's Central division sales chief. Junmy Salmans, recently resigned as manager ot Shea's Orpheum in McK«es Bocks, has joined Harris as Louis county for a reported $78,000. Although the theatre, a 1,466-seater, is under lease tb,:St. -Louis AmiiSe-, nient Cd, operated -by .Fa.nc.hon & Marco Service Corp., film i-o.W' .ex* pects Komm to take over the house When lease expires. Several months, ago ■ Komm pur- chased the- Aubert, another,St. Loiiis Amusement Gpiv unit. . -' ■■ Republic On Own in ^itt ; Republic purchased .franchise in-; t.erests of J, H,: Alexander: arid Sam Fin'eberg ,fpr: distribution of product- ii. Pittsburgh territory, cfl'cctive March-'i.'-- .-■,„■,-:.■■':■,■■ ;.'--:-\: ,'■-' ■ Sam Seplowin, Republic central district sales: ■manager, takes -bver operation ot the branch temporarily.- Railio City, Mpls., Civic Bally ; Minneapolis, March 7. ' . .Regarding the. reopening of the' 4,000-sieat Minnesota theatre by the Paramount circuit as, "a civic achievement," the Minneapolis Civic & GommGrce Association is .sponsor- ing the. event this week, lt'.s :first time organisation ever acted thusly for a .showhouse premiere. Directors (Continued on page 55) Mpls.-$t. Paul Would Up B.0 Minneapolis, March 7. Move to boost admission prices in . Minneapolis and St, Paul neighbor- hood houses is gaining momentum. Thus far six theatres here and one in St. Paul have upped their scales a nickel, Additonal houses are consid< ering following suit despite the fact that the new admission tax becomes effective April 1. Independents are hoping that the Paramount circuit also will raise its prices.