Variety (Mar 1946)

24 1«IN Wednesday, March 27, 194<» Dackrabbit Exhibition Aids, Not Hindrance to Regtdar Pix Shows Hcplying to tlie stciidily-niount-* lug lidc o£ demands from exiiibs that some fovm ot control should bo placed on tlie 16m j;\ckiabbils, clai-ed that , the lOni industry Non-Tlieali'ical Films Assn., dc- claied lliat the lOm induslfy, Non- fljcatiical Films Assn., helped, rjithci- than hindered, the 35m in- dustry by making farnieVs and tho-se •who live in theatrclcss towns more picture-conscious. Jones, eastern manaRcr pt Victor AnimaloKraph, said that ihe 16m cxhib who sues into a small com- munity and .sets up his pmjector in a grange hall or barn helps\^crcato a rer.dy "^market tor the 35m cxliib who will .some day build a theatre in that community. "If a person is willing 10 sit on a hard bench to see some picture that's three or four years olc^" Jones .s:iid, "it st;uids to reason (hat he"li be a Rood customer when a theatre is built for him xvith .soft .<;eats and where he can see j 'the latest nim.s." . ! Narrow'-sause industry is here to j Etay, Jones .said, and the .'tSm ex-^ hibs nni.'Jt face that f.ict. Since the l(jm industry is a medium ot help tor the majors, he recommends that some form.or coordination be]; established octwcen the two, in which they can join forces to mutu- ally aid each other instead of cut- ling each other's throats. Allhoush Jones didn't say so, ANFA is re- portedly dickering with .the Motion Picture Afsn. of America as the first step towur'd such a coordinating policy. '. D. C. Kicking Continued from • page J-j basis. Thus pictures- would lose their identity as a special commodi- ty for export to receive careful treatment. Situation squarely Mp to Holly- wood and the <?xecutivc. offices in New York appears to be this: Is pictures satisfied to be a peanut in- dustry so far as the Government is concerned and .to be kicked around loosely with a lot of small fry in- dustries which do not rate special consideration of their own? Or does the industry,, in view of all the ,as- sistanre it has given the Govern^ ment in war and peace, and all the help being asked for the future, in: tend to light for proper recognition in its cxccediingly difficult foreign trade situation? BcbUd's Stance These new and still secret devel- opments are at wide variance with the statement made last Wednesday by Assistant. 'Secretary of State William Benton when he; told a tirade press conference: "I til ink there is no, industry in this country with, a more legitimate right to exptect the assistance of the State Dept. along every legitimate line than the motion picture indus- try; that if the power of the Gov- ernment and the influence of the State Dept. are to be used to help any American industry in its ex- pansion abroad, it should be used to help the motion picture industry." While there is no direct connec- tion with the pictures unit and the rest of the telecommunications work —dealing with international com- munications—it appears a lot clo.scr than the contemplated shift to a division on a non-commodity basis. Fact is tliat, two years ago. when a .shift of this type was under consid- eration by State, Will Hays thought It was sufficiently important to the indii.stry for him to go to bat per- sonally with tile then Secretary of Stale Edward R. Stcttinius. Hays succeeded that time and it now a|)pears uip to Eric Johnston to carry the ball. I^se Caste Wliilo it is not definite that the shift would hurt tlie pjctiii-e inter- ests much, there appears no doubt that it would cause films to. lo.";© their identity as snmething special in State Dept. Only good part ot a shift is the fact that George Canty, the present motion picture xpeeialist Willi the Telecommunications Divi-. sion, would move over to the Cotn- nicrcia" Policy Divisiun. DcHaviland-Lund Teeoff Par's New Touring Plan Bringing company stars east for tours of key cities on personal ap- pearances, interviews, etc., in ad- vance of pictures in which they ap- pear,- is being adopted by Paramount on. recommendation of Curtis Mitch- ell, publ icily radvertising director, who laid plans in this direction dur- ing his visit in Hollywood. He re- turned from the Coast Monday i25). Olivia dcHaviland and John Lund, stsrs of "To Each His Own." will be thc'flrst to come east under the plan. They'll: start their toin- in about three weeks. Others will be lined up later. Mitchell also is organizing a bol- ter coordfinatioii between east and west on stills under the guidance ot Rex Taylor, recent appointee as Photographic Coordinator for the publicity depai tmcnt. Jackrabbit 16m ExhbClosetoN.Y. Marking the closest approach of .so-called IGm jackrabbit exhibs to | the metropolitan N. Y. area, Louis : Vassar, owner of the Europa, 35m I arty house in New Brunswick, N. J., i is currently screening an original | narro\y-gauge entertainment feature j in auditoriums in several New Jersey | towns"jtist across- the ;Huds6n from: Manhattan. Charging standard b.o. prices, Vassar claims he's doing top biz. Written, produced and directed by Vassar, the film is the first Ipni en- tertainment feature made in N. Y. Silent fUm with a dubbed-in score, the picture was shot on 16m Koda- chrome on. location in Manhattan's Central Park, a N. Y. e.itery and a private, home: Jacqueline Joyce, N. Y. subway model, stars. Vassar has already screened the film in Bridgeport, Conn., and Tren- ton, Passaic, and Perth Amboy, N. J. Considerable opposition ■ was re- portedly kicked up by 35m exhibs in those towns but Vassar said they couldn't stop him, since he uses union projectionists and obtains his license from the fire department in each town. Pro.ducer-exhib is pres- ently trying to induce the 35ro houses to run the-film on a percent- age basis, believing it would do,good biz r.s a curiosity item. He's also scouting N. Y. for a theatre outlet. . Picture is the first of a series con- templated by Vassar. He plans to take them overseas, shooting pictures in foreign countries while exhibiting his own product there. Ambitious plans also, include exchanging his pix. witli 16m pix produced abroad and also with Planet Pictures, L, A.. 16m producing org which screened its first theatrical narrowrgauge program at Hollywood's Marcai thea- tre last week. Vassar, who runs mostly foreign pix la his New Brun.swick house, be- lieves that it won't be. too long bcr for haiTOw-gauge films make their appearance on Broadway. Ques- tioned aboiit the possibility of the 35m indu-stry killing the iSm ftieii through .strong opposition, he pointed out that the "jackrabbit is a very feiHile animal.'' First 16in Feature ':'rhc People's Choieo," first' entcrtainmont featin-e produced entirely in lUni Kodaehromc. is reviewed on page 12 of, this i.ssue. ' Produced by Planet Pictures, on the Coast, the picture is cur- rent at Hollywood's Mareal the- atre. It opened Thursday (21). Runs 08 minutes. Shiftily to 2(hn Industry switch of narrow-gauge film to 20m width, now shaping up as probable, will be stalled from one to; two years because of pro- jector remodeling reqiiircmehts, of- ficials say. Proposal to widen the ICm celluloid by the addition of second series of sprocket holes has the tentative nod from most liiajor companies, and is currently being .studied on the Coast by the Academy of Arts and Sciences..iindci' super- vision of Wesley J. Miller. . Move to widcr-.gauge came too late to alTeet first postwar models of projectors which will hit the market' soon,- Uiiderstood that - the larger equipment manufacturers have been approached to incorporate alterna- tive changes in later projectors so that .sprockets and film channels would handle either 16 or 20m lllm. Revamping of reels presents no headaches, industry men state, be- cause retooling would . be . fairly simple and new reels are turned out regularly. Shift was initially, proposed be- cause frequent breaks in current .lOin film result from the uneven tension of the single-sprocket sys- tem. Ofi'icials point out that the old silent Ifim. film had perforations oil' both sides of the cellulloid.~ This" double-holed layout, they say, pro- longed the lite of the film by pro- vidinig an evenly distributed tension. Majors are said to favor thb idea additionally as means of disposing of troublesome .sound flutter.caused by the uneven sprocket pull. Rank-Odeon Theatre Expansion In Canada May Force GnisoL to BuOd Hold That Sunday Pix Keep Kids Out of Trouble.! paced by announced plans of J. Ar Montreal. Po.stwar, boom in pieturo Ihoatre building here, is taking shape being fight the industry's battles and to go right up to the top of the Conuncrcc Diept. with industry problems. If his unit is allowed to he shoved down into the same slot as typewriters, of- fice . furniture, etc., in a shuffle which will put several layers of brasshats over, it, there appears littJe or no doubt that pictures will receive loss consideration than in tlie past. According to cxperLs here, the situation is one which definitely, calls for the industry to throw it.s weight around without delay, in or- dcr io prevent the two chanfcs from taking place. If the shifts are made. Joe Cooper's Death at 60 Complicates 4 Par Suits Status of four different suits in which he and Paramount are in- volved is in doubt as result of the sudden deatli late Tuesday (19) of Joseph H. Cooper, veteran theatre operator and philaiitropist who was partnered _with Par in Nebraska Oklahoma and Nebraska. Bearing mostly on accountings, fraud and misrepresentation, two of the actions were brought by Par in New York^ while Cooper countersucd on two occ.-isions, one action being filed in N. Y., the other in Lincoln, Neb. Suits grew out of years of quar- reling and bickering between Par and Cooper. Grounds oh which they were _ brought date back to Par's bankruptcy and resultant reorganiza- tion. Until it is known what Cooper's will provides-and. an administrator is appointed, actions arc expected to lie. dormant in the eourt.s. Efforts were made last year by Par to set- tle but to no avail. Cooper controlled 22 theatres but lived in the east. While his legal residence was Philadelphia, he di- vided most of hi.s time between his farm at Moore's Mills, N. Y., and the F,sscx Hbasc, N. Y: City, where he maintained an apartment for many years. Cooper's death occurred at the Essex House, an autopsy show- ing that-hc succumbed to a heart at- tack. He was 60. Some years ago Cooper established the Cooper Foundation at Lincoln, Neb., a $1,000,000 corporation organ- ized to establish homes, and to main- tain and provide education for desti- tute, deserving younifstcrs. Recently the Foundation embarked on a pi'o- gram in association with the Ki- wanis Clubs designed to curb Juve- nile delinquency. ■ - Cooper is survived by a widow, a son, three brothers and one sister, ail nouTpiro. Funeral services were held Friday (22) in N. Y., burial at Moore's Mills. Spartanburg, S. C„ March 20, New role a.scribcd -thcatrrs lici'c: children who go to pix don't go .soitiew'herc cl.sc and get into trouble. Exhibited by managers in WCTU- mahned war to shutter shows Sun- days were hundreds of lettbrs from parents from parents stilting they preferred, their boys and girls.in the- atres Sunday afternoons than car' riding, juke-jointing and otherwise questionably engaged. . An Episcopal minister. Rector Capers Sattcrlce,-■ joined - in pro- Sunday show support. Resiilt: Mayor Leon Moore and Council are delaying shuttering ac- tion.. NW Variety's 325G Fund In Minneapolis, March. 26^ With, success assured for its cam- paign to raise $325,000 to build and equip a heart hospital on the .Uni- versity of Minnesota campus as its main philanthropic project, the Northwest Variety club will end the. drive May 1, it was announced by Chief Barker Art Andcrsfon. Con- siderably more than half the desired aniount has already been pledged, he sa.vs. The club al.<;o will raise a mini- mum of $25,000 annually to; help in the- hospital's maiiitenance^-'-ehai'lic Winchcll, Minnesota Amus. Co. pub- licity head, told of the club's char- itable and philanthropic activities and the heart hospital, drive over radio station WCCO last week. So far as the Dept. oC Commerce I't. will bo far more difficult to get Is concerned, Nate Goldcn's unit has also been active jn connection with* the foreign markets for films. Run- ning an autonomous show, as he'has lip to now. Golden has, been in a position for the pa.sl 20 ye;:r.s to about it, the situation unraveled. Problem also appears one for the Lqg^ Angeles Congrcssiaiial delega- tion, to igo to work on. However, up, to this point, they know nothing Push Italian Pix for U. S. Move to' push Italian-mnric lilnis in- to arty hou.sci in this country is cur- rently under v. ay by Variety Filivi.":. indie distribs, which controls a block of Italian productions recently im- ■portctl. Fihns. dubbed in Engli.'h. will be preceded by campaigns in colleges and universities. \. T. Conclave Looks Ble Advance reservations, from Va- riety tents for the organization's 10th annual convention, skcdded for the A.stor hotel, N. Y., May 15-18, indi- cate that this year's function will be one of the largest. Humanitarian Award Banquet Committee, headed up by Si Fabian, is slated to meet today (Wednesday) to lay plans for Variety's award to an ouli>tunding American. Last year's award went to-Sir Alexander Fleming. Special tribute will be paid at this year's meet to John H: Harris, founder of the original Variety tent in Pittsburgh. Many of the indus- try's top e.\ccs, both from N. Y. and the Coast, are expected to attend the final banquet at which the hu- manitarian award will be made. R. J. O'Donnell, national chief barker, is expected in N. Y. next week tor huddles with the main convention committee. thur Rank and Ills Canadian outlet, the Odeon circuit. Within the next 18 months, Odeon officials expect to complete one ot the most niodei-n dcUixers in North America. William Lester ha.-i applied for permissioia to build a house in slaid suburban Wcstniount. Backing for hi.s venture appears to come from United Artists, It would be a 2.200- .scater. In one of Montreal's olhrr suburbs. Town of Mount Royal, plans to erect a film theatre have been met by objections from oi»i/.i;ns. Westmbunt and Mbiuit Uoyal never have liad theatres. ■6'dcoii's film, house here is part of the program to build ,1,') to 20 ilioa- trcs in Canada. Believed that the Montreal theatre will be the fir.si (if a few new ones planned here. Odc<iB circuit now runs-seven theatres in Montreal and two on the outskirts. Rank officials here insist there's no attempt being made by British interests Vp challenge the Hollywood influence. There's reported to, be almost $12,000,000 involved in cinema build- ing projects in Canada. In Torontpi Odeon now has its own studios for production of educational and docinnentary2- films.. OdcOh also is making arrangcmonts with French film iiiTercsts to bring ptoduet oyer tor Quubcc distribution. Latter move may throw a monkey-wrench into the plans of France Film; lead- ing distrib now for French pictiu-es. France Film runs the St. Denis theatre and also has set up .studios in suburban Montreal. Consol idated The atres, now opcr-. ■"atirig all the flr.st-fuh lilm thoalj'c.s,'' may be forced into new building by the Rank-bdeon prpgrani. It's con- trol in the first-run field always h;is brought complaints from smaller operators. 3 New Colo. Theatres Denver. .A 1,500-seat theatre is planned as the principul, feature of an $11,000,00(1 real estate development here. Hou.-e is across the street from s'wank Den- ver Country Cliib. Claude -Graves, Albuquerque. N. M., theatre owner, starting a ,5.i0- seatcr at Westwood, nearby, Den\ tr suburb. Snyder & Besse, owners of Uni<iue. Gunnison, Colo., are planning a new 600-scat theatre. In that city. N'cw IIo.ast«n l,«90-Scattr Houston. .K new l,0b0-seat theatre is planned here by L. C. Baxley, who owns and operates the Pljiza. PROBING MRS. CRAIG'S ACCIDENTAL DEATH . Hollywood. March 26. Inquest will be held tomorrow morning (27) at Forest Lawn into the death of Mrs. Helen Craig, wife ot W. K. Craig, Metro studio's exec- utive cbntrolltT. Mrs. Craig was killed and Craig seriously injured last Friday night when a car struck them while they were eros.sing a Beverly Hills inter.section. Driver of the car -was released, under bond. Funeral services . have'been post- poned pending Craig's recovery. Studio Contracts Hollywood, March 26. Burt Lancaster, actor, Hal Wallis. E. Boyle, set dec'., Loe>v-Lewin. Anne Revere, renewed, .20th-Fox. Wanda Hcndrix, actress. Par. Jeff Donncll. renewed. Col. Harold Clifton, dialog dir., G-ol. Richard Fleischer, renewed RKO. N. R. Rainc, writer, Sam Bischoffv Jules Furtlimaii, writer, Warners. Ruth 'Roman, renewed. Vanguard. McClurc Capps, art dir., S. Lesser-, Pat Ford, writer, Metro. Lionel Banks, art dir.. Enterprise. Robeit Ford, actor, 20tli-F.ox, A, Jo.scph, film ed., Loew-Lcwin. Steven Garay, actor, Columbia. Joseph Sehildkraudt, octor. Rep. Moreen Na.sh, actress. Paramount. 2 New rhilly Theatres Planned Phihidelphia. Two new houses arc being planned for this area. A l,000-.seater is .set for West Philly by Mario Jerome. A i:i- acre site was purchased by M. A. Samuel and M. H. Hankin In Willow Grove, with a theatre and a string of stores planned for this site. Chi's Improvements Spending Chicago, With curbs on theatre construction holding well into the futurci the ru.sh is on Chi sign companies by theatres looking for a way to spend over- balanced budgets oh hou.sc impr«\-c- mcnts. One of most unusual orders has ■ come from RKp's Grand, for- merly a legit houise, now a second- runnfcr. Downtown house has or- dered an 80-foot vertical sign hold- ing 7.500 lamps. . Largest quantity order hay come from'Balaban & Katz. with plans to i-efurbish their downtown .houses. Chicago, Loop flagship; the Roose- velt getting a new front and iiii-.r- quee; and th« State>Lake aic. all in for outside redecoration. Plans are also undcrwoy In the Warner The- atres organization for' iniprovcriicnt of the South Side chain, wliile E.s.s- aness Is replacing the old Sheridan theatre sign; . Day Aides L«ivey Harvey Day, Sr., has been named lo succeed Archie Mayers as pa.sterli rep. for Jules Le\cy Productioji.s, Mayers rcsigncit to go into the, i nb- Ijor and plastics business. Day v."i.» loniierly eastern rep for CoiLstance. Bennett Production.?. Le\'ty leaves New York tor the Coast today tWednesday) to work on his, next film,' ''Conspiracy in Oaiii!."