Boxoffice-January.07.1950

nEws AND VIE^VS THE PRODUCTION CENTER
(Hollywood Office—Suite 219 at 6404 Hollywood Blvd.: Ivan Spear. Western Manager)
1,600 Stars Appeared
At Benefits in 1949
HOLLYWOOD — An impressive total of
more than 1,600 film personalities donated
their sei-vices dui-ing 1949 for appearances in
more than 600 patriotic and charitalDle events,
accord ng to a yearend tally by the Hollywood
Coordinating Committee. That number
of players was supplied by the HCC in response
to requests from national charity organizations,
the U. S. government and veterans
administration.
Rendered aid by show business personalities
were the National Tuberculosis Ass'n,
the American Red Cross, American Cancer
Society, March of Dimes, American Heart
Ass'n, National Crippled Children's Society,
CARE, Boy and Girl Scouts, Boys Clubs of
America, the Community Chest, Armed Forces
Radio Service, the treasury department and
U. S. army recruiting services. Every one of
117 veterans' hospitals was visited by at least
one film luminary during the year; more than
3Ct) stars gave AFRS performances, and players
performed each week for a radio show
for army recruiting and a U. S. savings bonds
campaign.
* * *
Hitting the home stretch, Hollywood's fifth
annual United Appeal campaign has reached
a total of 16,996 subscriptions for $1,092,689.
This represents 81 per cent of the $1,350,000
goal. Solicitations are being continued, witfi
the concentration now on higher-income
potential donors.
Group standings to date:
Labor crafts and unions—14,656 pledges,
$332,289; producers and executives, 387, $219,-
871; actors, 583, $241,093; directors, 122, $72,-
635; writers, 284, $96,504; agents, 180, $254,130;
corporations, 24, $51,335.
Heart of Gold to Jessel
HOLLYWOOD — For his "humanitarian
work during 1949," George Jessel, show business
veteran and producer at 20th Century-
Fox, will be given the Mount Sinai Men's
club "heart of gold" award. Presentation will
be made by Dore Schary, MGM vice-president
in charge of production, at a banquet to
be staged March 22.
Studio Space to Thor
HOLLYWOOD—Office and shooting space
at Motion Picture Center studios have been
obtained by Thor Productions, independent
unit headed by Bert Friedlob and Director
Tay Garnett. The outfit plans an early start
on "Dark Challenge," for which a major release
is being negotiated.
Screen PubUcists Vote
On Union Affiliation
HOLLYWOOD—The new year opened with
a bang for film foundry publicists when they
were given a January 6 date by the National
Labor Relations Board to trek to the polls
and determine by ballots whether they wish
to be represented on the major lots by the
independent Screen Publicists Guild or the
lATSE's newly formed Motion Picture Publicists
Local 818.
The voting plan called for balloting at Columbia,
Republic, 20th-Pox, U-I, RKO, Goldwyn,
Warners, Paramount and MGM. A plea
by the SPG that blurbers on the payrolls of
independent producers be eligible to vote was
recently denied by the NLRB.
An election rally meeting was held Wednesday
(4) by the SPG. The voting brings to a
close; officially, at least, a lengthy battle between
the rival drumbeaters' groups.
Jack Carson to Emcee
HOLLYWOOD—On behalf of
the national
Go-to-Church campaign. Jack Carson, Warner
Bros, comedian, was to welcome 3,000 Boy
Scouts at an ice hockey game January 8 at
the Pan Pacific auditorium. At the ceremonies
Carson was to introduce Lieut. Gov.
Goodwin Knight of California; Mrs. Marvin
Owen, president of the Parent-Teacher federation,
and Boy Scout leaders.
WB Installs New Device
HOLL"YWOOD—A new type of magnetic
wind screen is being installed on all Warner
Bros, microphones following its development
by the studio sound department headed by
Col. Nathan Levinson. The new device eliminates
heavy, loud frequency noises which
often are picked up during location shooting
and dialog, it is claimed, can be recorded as
clearly as on a studio sound stage.
In a move designed to further relations between
American industry and Hollywood, the
board of directors of the Screen Directors
Guild at its last meeting heard a report from
Wallace Worsley, SDG delegate to a recent
National Ass'n of Manufacturers convention
in New York. The plan, now in formative
stages, would call for the SDG to establish
an advisory service on industrial films as a
public relations gesture from the film capital
to U. S. industry.
Worsley, who spent three weeks in Manhattan
discussing the project with NAM toppers,
is preparing an outline of the service.
The SDG board also discussed the sponsorship
of its network radio show by RCA-
Victor, that company having signed to sponsor
the Screen Directors Playhouse beginning
with the January 6 program over NBC. The
board also approved a Christmas gift of a
television set from the SDG to the Motion
Picture Country home.
Present at the meeting were President
George Marshall, Albert S. Rogell, David
Butler, Merian C. Cooper, Frank Borzage,
Clarence Brown, Charles Barton, Lesley Selander,
Vernon Keays, Richard Wallace,
George Waggner and Ralph Murphy.
A healthy monetary condition was reported
in the annual financial statement released
to the membership by the Screen Actors Guild
covering the fiscal year from Nov. 1, 1948, to
Oct. 31. 1949, inclusive. Assets total $603,-
467.76, vrith liabilities of $26,394.85, resulting
in a surplus of $577,072.91. Income for the
12-month period was $250,950.04, while operating
expenses, slightly higher than income,
totaled $259,729.75.
Film megaphonists will be honored at a
dinner to be staged February 6 by actormembers
of the Masquers club. Guests of
honor will be members of the board of directors
of the Screen Directors Guild.
New Sound Testing Film
HOLLYWOOI>—Designed as a final listening
test for 35mm sound reproducing equipment,
development of a new test film has
been announced by the Motion Picture Research
council. The reel, about 500 feet long,
has picture and sound, including main title
music, four dialog samples, piano music, a
high level vocal selection with orchestra, and
a sound effects sample.
The test film can be used to check system
frequency response, high and low frequency
balance, acoustical response, amplifier and
speaker output, speaker phasing and flutter.
Lansburgh Joins Thalia
HOLLYWOOD—Resigning as an associate
producer for Walt Disney, after 14 years in
the post, Larry Lansburgh has joined Juhan
Lesser's Thalia Productions in an executive
production capacity.
BOXOFTICE January 7, 1950
39