Variety (Jul 1945)

VetliicsJuy, July 4, 1945t PICTUIWS Scharys Brushoff to Rankin • ■ ; ■ :■ ■/ Hollywood, July 3. Speaking before tlie -Town Hall Forum here yesterday (.2), Dore Scliwrv- took issue with critics of tiliii industry who accuse members of usiiijj'lhe bcreen as a means o( piopagaiirla, pointing out that there are as many detractors on the opposite side of tlie fence who claim that iiollywood lias nO; purpose at all. Schary stated that the screen is a frco'modiLim and in scenes involv- ing cpniroversial matters lilms only dra'matize and reflect the public's slate ot niind. "Despite Congressman Rankin who KjifTers from strange hallucina- tioni.," Schary said, "I honestly have never heard anybody say "let's make this picture so that we can start a revolution.' On the other hand I have never heard anyone say,'Fellows, lets make this picture R stinker'." Ha pointed out that while there was nothing to prevent someone from making films about fascism, there would be difficulty in'finding iiidiences to see it, therefore it wouldn't be a good gamble as the public has already given its verdict about fascism. L A. Solons Blast Rankin's New SmM At H'wood; Try for Page 1 Baliyhoo? RKO Signs Myrna Loy . Hollywood, .July 3. Myrna Loy, who recently checked out of Metro, signed a tliree-year pact with RKO calling for one film per anrum. First will be "X Am Thinking of My Darling," to be pr6duced^ bj' Robert' FeUpws' and Warren Duft: :■; ,; :^ . Before moving into RKO, actrcs.=. will co-star with Don Anieche in "A Geiuiis In the Family." a Jack Skii'ball production lor United Artist,'! release. Mor, DeMille and Par Stars Start Barnstorming 3d-of-Century Fetes WBSetsl2Pix ForlstGMos. Washington, July 3. -f Lo« Angeles congressmen are up in arms over the new smear invesli- kation of Hollywood launched Satur- day-by Rep. John E. Rankin (D., \Hia».) arvd the House Committee on un-Amerit>an Activities (the perma- nent Dies Committee). While there does not seem to be much the Coast delegation can do jlbOiit the probe: of Hollywood as. %i« alleged center of a "movement to Overthrow : the Government," they are expected to make ejiiety, effort to keep the investigation as honest as possible. The House Committee is following; the well-recognized technique ot trying to bust onto the front pagtw by attacking the film industry, aiifT decision to mvestigate the great ''plot" came as a complete.'iiurprise to most members of Congress. The aetipn can-be chalked up as another Rankin fast one. He put his resolu- tion in during the absence of Rep. fed ward .1. Hart tD., N: J), the com- mittee chairman, who has been- tryr- ing to keep the committee honest so far. Tho.se attending the nvoelins said ihey had no advance notice tliat the tankin resolution was coming, but they voted for it nevertheless, Ranki|n put out a statement in which he said that "according 'to I reports, one' of the most dangerou.s | plots ever instigated for the ovi-i- throw of our Government had its; headquarters in Hollywood. Caar. [ and the comniittee w'iU send nivpsn-I ■ {fatfjrs to that area at oficc to iiiA-csti- [ , gate the situation." He lold new.snicn.{ that "Hollywood individual.s and or ganii-.ation.s" will, be jnvcstiKated. I pj^,,,,^,, 3,,^ to refuse 11 RKO'S REGIONAL SALES MEETAUG;6-8INN.Y. First of a series of RKO regional salesmeetings is scheduled: Aug. 6-8 in New York at tllg Waldorf-Astoria hotel. . Other sales confabs are slated: io'follow Jn Cincinnati, Chi- cago and on 4be Coast. Last year RKO held a national .sales meet in N. Y.; Regionals are being set this season as a result of Ua>nsporlation difliculties. N. Y. State's Little Known Law on Lurid Fix Ads Albany, July 3. The recent protest, by the Albany PTA district chairman and Moth- ers' Club president, against admis- sion of unaccompanied children to the showing p£.: '•Dillinger" at the Bitz, and "Flame ot Barbary, Coast" at tile Gland—-a protest ea.u.sed/in part 'l).v the advevlisirig for the two hims bionghl lo light a little-pub- licized authority which the motion picture division) State BSdueation.De- partment, has over advertising, pos- ter;?, etc. It is believed the protest- ants, like many others, was unaware of Section 1090 of the Educational La w. This reads that no person, per-^ .sons or corporation shall use an.V po.ster, Ijanner or other similar ad- vertising ill conitectioii with any mo- tion picture, film;, which poster, etc., IS "indecent, immoral, inhnmane, .-aorile.iiious or incites to crime,' These are the words also employed I in the section-empowering the MPD to ' ' censes on the grounds quoted The law further'reads that use of .siieli posters and advertising shall be siifl'icieivt grounds for the revocation of any film license issued by , the MPD. This permits prompt action by tlie motion picture division.,The: au-. Ihorily is rather infrequently exer. ci.sed upstate. However, the MPD did take action agaiii.st one Albany theatre on lobby advertising several years ago. Sometimes, the mere filing ot a complaint is sufficient to bring prompt relief. Thi.s pha.se of film licen.sing in New York State- is not Hiven much publicity, and many peo- aitd that big name stars and execu- tives "will enter into it beloie jvc'ri; through." Rep. Ned R. Healy (D'>, ot'Lo.-, Angeles, blasted back that: "This move is typical of Mr Rankin's activities. He is obviously fallowing in the footsteps of his pred-' •eessor, Martin Dies.. This is an at- tempt to drive vuiderground all. piembers of the motion picture , in^ austry who have in any way .sup- ported the liberal social program ot the late President Roosevelt." Rep. EllLs E. Patterson (Dl, of Peverly Hills, said: "The whole thing, is an atlempter! pic seem to be oblivious to it ?mear of Hollywood in order to hurt the industry and to ^et a lot of publicity. It is entirely unjust ifiable and 1.1 a cheap, lowdown way to get newspaper space. To me it is ridic- ulous and un-American. It is the pld red herring drawn across ilu; path of freedom: of "speech audi thought. JRep. Helen Gahagan Douglas fD),| '0« Angeles, 4ilso charged a plot to ' »l publicity through a smear of the Wm industry. She said it wa.s an et- fprt to crush liberalism among the Democrats of the areas and .said it would fall completely. Unprecedented m the industry and.'unusual tor Warner Bros, is the .settuig of release. dates on pic- tures for the first six months of the coming (1945-46) season. A total of 12 pictures, with exact release dates, will be furnished diiving that time, according to announcement made by Ben Kalmcn.s<m. v.p. over distribution, on P''riday (29i when a four-day WB sales meeting in N. Y. wound, up. . During the pa.st year. Warners has operated very dose to release. Com- pany will wind up the current (1944-4,5) .season with only 19 pic- tures, but if the first six months ot the coming semester is any gauge, it will supply more than this num- ber during l!)4,'>-46. The 12 films on the coming season spreading from September thiough February, 194,"). and their dates, are "Pride of Marines,".Sept. 1; "Rhap body in Blue," Sept. 29; "Three Strangers,' Oct. 13: "San Antonio, Oct, 27: "Devotion," Nov. 24; "The Time, the I'lace and the Girl," Dec. 29; "Danger Signal," Jan. 12; '"Sara- toga-Trunk.'^ Jan. -26r--'Shadow of a Woman,". Feb. 9, and "Cinderella Jone.s," Feb. 23. ■ , . Kalmenson explained ' that while dates liave been set on the 12 pic tures the first six months of the new season, final decision in some in- stances Will be Koverned by market cohdition.s at the time. Four-Day Powwow Four-day Warner sales powwow included separate sessions with ficVd exploitation representatives con- ducted by Mort Blumenstock, east- ern publicit'y-ad,vertisihg director. Charlie Einfeld, v.p. in charge of publicity-advertising, and Blum'en- .stock outlined merchandising plans for most ot the early 1945-46 re- leases... V ■,.■;,.■'■■■.■;•:•.■ Jo.seph Bernhard, general .man- ager of the Warper, circuit, ad-; dre.sscd a ioint ses.sion of sales per- sonnel and e-\ploileers,. stating ; that more inten.sive .showmanship will be required of both iield: men and ex- hibitors when, rationing aild pri- orities are ended, and: sources of amu.seiiient that hav.e .teeii' curtailed by wartime neee.s.slty are brought back to compete tor the public's sp.ending money. • * ' At the Thursday 128") sCs.sion \vith the field men, Einfeld declared that the current national prosperity with its high "level of motion picture at- tendance offers a fine opportunity to experiment in new: forms o,f showmanship and develop .new mer- (fhai3di.sing. technique tliat will come in handy, when times are not so good. Groaner's Voice Heralds Bracken and Own Pix Chicago, July 3. Those IS^minute "radio-preview" transcriptions - (kingsize versions of spot announcements) whipped up by Paramount, and featuring dramatic and comedy highlights ot"Bring On the Girls," must have paid Off, inas- much as they're sending out more of the same tor "Out of Thii? World" to theatre ops here', and eKsewhere in the hinterlands. Exhibs in tvtrn feed tlieir local stations with the platters. Odd twist to this .stunt is that, al- though the songs, from the sound- track are chirped' by Bmg Crosby, he doe.sn't appear in the pie. In- stead, Eddie Bracken muggs and the voice ot The Groaner is heard upon the lane. On the air, who knows the diflference? Crosby IS also doing a radio platter pitch for "The Great John L.," which he produced independently. England to Get Radio Ballyhoo for Pix B.O. Fearing a gradual decline in Brit- ish b.o. receipts,- Robert S. Wolff managing director for RKO Radio.in Britain, currently m N. Y., stated last week that he is planning to ex- tend regional and radio "exploitation campaigns to ofl-set a. po.ssible drop in business. , > ■ Wolff said thai: he plans- to set re- gional exploitation campaigns : for important product in Britain much, along .the same jines as in the U. Si Since radio is non-commercial, his plans in that direction are tor pro- viding more hit tunes fi'om films and tor film dramatizations. Wolff declared that the reopening of -seashore resorts and other places of amusement in England was bound lo affect picture business-tbete. He no,ted also that the wartime curtail- ment of short subjects was contin- uing since exljibitors must still close early due to regulations covering iracsportation. , The market for features in South Ireland has increased, Wolff asserted, with the lilting of the ban on anti- Japanese and anti-Nazi films. RKO IS planning to produce two morij films in- England within ;the next year, "Great Day" has ,iusl been completed there. ' ' Wolffi expected the theatre'slump in England to, be gradual and that at-' tendance will, despite any drop, ex- ',ceed-pre-wa,r levelSi '';; :,: '.;•:--, ' Adolph Zukor, chairman of the (board of Paramount; : Cecil B. 1 DeMille, producer releasing through this company, and stars on The Par ., roster .are being routed into variouii. exchange points in connection with " the pitch for Par on. the company's , Third-of-a-Centuiy celebration which extends froni Aug. 26 to Sept. 29. They will visit exchanges con« currently \with the two anniversary :; drive captains, Allen Usher of Chi- cago and M. R. (Duke) Clark of Dallas, district managers. Along;, with them at each point in their- territories* Par's four division man-. agers, George Smith. William Erbb,/ Hugh Owen and Jim Donohue, will be in attendance. . Usher, who has the east, started - meetings in Dallas Thur.sday and: Friday (29)i with Sonny Tufts from the; studio: in attendance there, and winds up^n V, July 28. Clark tees ott his-meetings tomorrow (Tliurs- - day) in Chicago and ends in Lok: Angeles July 26. Betty Button will be on hand for the two-day Chicago meeting. She can't make others. : Zukor is scheduled for Boston July 25, New Haven July: 27, and N. Y. July 28. DeMille will make Salt Lake City, Portland, Ore., Seattle, San : Francisco and Los Angeles during the period extend;- ing from ,Iuly 18 to Jul.\ 26. In addition to Dallas. Oklahoma City and Memphis which he has al^* ready covered. Tufts will makb seven other exchange points ending; July 16 in Cleveland. Ray Milland IS scheduled for five branch keys', stretching from July 17 in Cincinnati to July 24 in Albany. Seven stops are on the schedule lor Bill Denia- rest, extending from July ^7 in Mil-< waukee to July 17 in -Denver. • ; , In addition to the exchange meet- ings with local sales personnel, pat in each branch key will to.ss a cock- tail party in honor of any accounts who have played Par product for 33 years and the eldest emplo.vee of the particular Par exchange. In Chicago the honor among employees will be shared by two -men who have. been ' with Par there for 27 years each. UA Sets Dates on 8 $125 Stickup Chicago, July 3. , "Hand over the money; don't talk" was the note a man shoved through boxoffice window to Aileene Bishop, cashier at .Toe Stern's High- way theatre Wednesday (27). Stie did, and she didn't. $12,5. National release dates for eigtit United : Artists ' productioils .-were aiinounc^d last week by Carl Leser- man, UA general sales manager, covering period from June to Sep- tember. "The Great .John L." June 29; "Story of G. I. Joe." July 1.S; "Guest Wife." Julv 27: "The Southerner," Aug. 10; "Capt. Kidd," Aug. 24; "The Outlaw, Aug. 31; Paris Under- ground," Sept. 14; "Spellbound," Sept. 2>S. Rep Hypos Production Hollywood, July 3. Production at Republic will hit a new high-for the year during, .July, With six films starting, in addition to two holdovers-from last month. Starleis are "Don't Fence Me In," "Slie'-iff of Redwood "Valley," "Da- kola," "The Phantom Rider" and "Concerto." Par Slate Reelected At a. meeting of the board of Para- mount last week, all officers ot the compai.i,y were unianimou.sTy - re- elected. They are Adolph Zukor, chairnian of the board; Barney Balaban, pres- ident; Stanton Griffls (now on leave with the Red Cross), chairman of the executive committee; Y. Frank Freeman, v.p, at the studio; Au.stin C. Keough, v.p. and. legal head; Henry Ginsberg, v.p. over studio operations; Charles M. Reagan, v.p^ in charge of sales; Leonard H. Goldenson., v^p. over theali'es; Walter B.: CokelJ, treasurer;, Fred . Mohr- hardt, comptroller; Norman Collyer, .Jacob H. Karp and Frank Meyer, a.ssis'tant .secretaries. In addition to ins other dulieSj Keough is secretary lor Par. $200 Haul Here Kansas City, July 3. I'lie Jayhawk; nabe in Kan.sas C'iiy.. ■Kans., burglarized after midnighl "•"lie 29. Loot included cash war stumps totalling about Spyros Skouras Back Spvios Skouras. 20th-Fox pVexy, is back in Hie N. Y. home ofllce trom the Coast. Muiiay SiUerstfme, president of 20th»Fox International Corp.,' ac- ;t«)mpanicd Ivtirt east. . :■' 20TH RE-PACTS STAHL -Hollywood,^ July. 3.,. Joiln Mr'Stahl, Hearing ;the end, of 'li.!s.old direi-lor eoiitraqt'al 20tli-Fox. was handed a new seven-year pact. Cui-ien(l.\ S^ilil is piloting the and I hmh-liudecl Technicolor ptoduclioii, I "Lcj\e IIci lo Heaven." Studio Contracts Hollywood. July 3. Fred Brannon, director,- Republic. Barbara Lawrence, moppet. 20-Fox. Patricia White, actres.s, Warncri, Ben-Mayiie;'Si't, djf teto^^ Ralph Edwards, actor, RKO. liiith; McKcnneyr.writei'i:Patt {: : ,Iitchard Briuislen. write',,Par. . ' .Galiiy Dowiis,: aclres^i 'SQlh-Fox..; Gcoiige .C'oulo.iu-is. actofj WB,. , ■ M-^n'tit'' lio.v. '-a'cj res-s. KKO, ;; Fred Nibio. .Ir.. writc?r, 20th.,-' : ;■• Marie.tia-.'Elliott, actress. 2t)lb.,:. , Ilc'en Scamon, actress, 20th. Naldlie Wood, mopPet. Int. IvPti ■''Jaasses'' W,liitf;.;reiiew.i Moni>: Jinx Falkenbnr.g, renewed. Col: Jolm Statil, renewed, 20th-Fox. Lasky's Story Plan* Je.ssp L Laskv has taken an op- tion oil: an original. "The Man Who Couldn't Lose," which he plans as his second or third production for RKO release, with John Wayne starring; ,: '; ■■■-:-:-■,:, '!.■. ;M Laslty, who left N. Y. for the Coast over the -weekend, stated that he paid $60,000 foi' the screen rights to "Thanks God. I'll Take It Fi'om Hero." wjiich he will budget at $1,250,000. La-sky 'staled that -he - also ,has an .(ipti'on on a Broadwa.V stage ,plaj'.- with iTiUsiCi: As previously; reported, in "Variety"- he has been dickering toi the screen rightf- to "BInoniei Girl.",: ■■',,,- :'.:--rN'^ '::,':.,;^^'?-'■ ■■■■-'■:■::■- DREIFUSS PHOTS 'SHIP' . Holl.vwood,-.Inly 3: .'■ Cotnnibia' .'assigncct Arthur'^Drfci- fu'Si 'to direct its, rorlhconiiiig' war picture,. "Prison :Sliip." ' Alexis : Tliuru.-Taxi.s prodiicUon gels uiKlei way July 23. COMPLAINING NJ. INDIE IN DEALS WITH MAJORS Jack Fields; head of Rosyl Amu.s. Corp., . operating the Cameo; Jersey City, who sued the distributors and obtained clearance relief in settle- ments teached with Metro, Par-' amount and RKO, states that he has just reached deals, with 20th-Fox, United Artists, Columbia and Uni- versal on the same basi-s. Meantime, the operators of the Orient, Jersey City, brought con- tempt proceedings against Metro, Paramount and RKO because, in reaching their settlements under Ro.syl's anti-trust action, clearance of the Orient, lormerly cut from seven lo three days, was abolished alto- getliei Settlements also provided that the Cameo was. to get pictures ■-, no latci than 21 days alter the Fill- ton, a Skouras operation. According to Field.s. he had been paying twn-and-a-halt times the lental obtained from Skouras' : .Apollo in Jersey City, whose clear- ance was taken' away, and one-and- a-halt times as much as the Orient kicked through to the distributors, ' The Ro.syl case is a rare one in that it. wa»: settled tfirough, a' revi- sion of clearance .schedules and ex- ceptional fn that it was partly at ', the co.st of - the Skouras : circuit,, a very important - custorhei - on , dis-, , tributor, books. , :;' Federal Judge Henry W. Goddard in N. y. Monday (2) to.ssed into the lap ot the Attorney General the motion ot the Ro.sewelt Really Co., operators of the Orient in Jersey City, to pu'nish RKO. Paramount' and Loew's lor violation of the con-' .sent decree, in eliminatirig clearance:, of .Qrieiifi- ,e(,iurt .di-smisptid the ex- hib'S coniplaint, without pi;e,|udice. : Bennett to Return -JHpilywood,-,Jiily,;?.^- ■;. Charles Bennett, currently in Lon- don, will return lo Hollywood late this month after' washing up a spe- cial writing ,iob Inr the British Ministry -of Information.' , While in l'!n.gland, Be,nnell scripte^^ a: ,Vivien .Leight iStai'rer , ani.i iiikSd, a pact to write and: direct, a pic- ture for J, Arlliur Rank in 1946.