The Film Daily (1939)

Q ■• p^LlL /"^i sityi Qij-irks-Je London (By Cable) — General trade expectancy that there would be no increase in the exDril. CrXlllD. VJCUOTU ^TCinaS--hibirors' quota of the Films Act next October beyond the statutory 15 per cent was verified by a declaration to that effect in the House of Commons yesterday by Oliver Stanley, Board of Trade chief eii.i c COPY DO NOT REMOVE Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Twenty Years Old /OL. 75, NO. 65 NEW YORE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 1939 TEN CENTS Distributors to Sell Under Provisions of Trade Draft PROPOSEJXHIB.-CIVIC GROUP PIX SELECTTON PLAN Expect Three Broadway Houses to Install Baird Tele \ ' i )eals Reported Nearing Completion; Javal Due in N. Y. Shortly Negotiations for the installation f Baird Television screens and reviving apparatus in three Broadway ouses are near completion, and the quipment is scheduled to be instated by May 15 if no hitch occurs, p was learned yesterday. Ian Ja|al, commercial director of Baird television, will arrive here before he end of April with the equipment and company engineers to hanle installations. Javal, in a recent visit, stated that (Continued on Page 6) t Y. ALLJEDPLANNING iQUIPMENTEXPOSITION A mammoth trade showing of moion picture equipment is to be held a New York in conjunction with he Allied of New York convention t the Hotel Astor May 24-26, it was earned yesterday. Event is to be cnown as the Allied Theater Owners of New YorkWorld's Fair Mo (Continued on Page 7) jSernstein, Rubin Add To Holdings in Loew's Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Acquisition of 22,00 shares of Loew's, Inc., common stock was reported today by ;)avid Bernstein in the SEC semimonthly summary of security transitions and holdings. Bernstein's cquisition brings his total common (Continued on Page 6) lolar Time Defense Clears Exhib. of Sunday Violation I Charlotte, N. C— Judge Frank K. Sims, Jr., in city court dismissed the unday law violation charge against ileill McGill, manager of the Im (Continued on Page 6) Theater Divorcement Bill in Pa, House Harrisburg, Pa. — A bill has been introduced in the house which would ban motion picture theaters owned or operated by producers or distributors. UA SALES MEET WILL OPEN MAY8M COAST What is expected to be United Artists' biggest and most important sales convention will be held in Hollywood beginning May 8. The entire field staff and the home office executive personnel will attend. Details of the company's 1939-40 program, which is expected to include a minimum of 28 pictures, will be announced at the convention by Maurice Silverstone, head of world-wide operations of the firm. Wilcox Sets Cavell Story for First Hollywood Film Herbert Wilcox's first U. S. pix to star Anna Neagle will be a story based on the life of Edith Cavell, British nurse who was executed dur (Continued on Page 6) STRIKE DEVELOPMENTS WAIT ON U.S. ACTION Investigation here of the projectionists' strike by Berkley W. Henderson, special assistant attorney general in charge of the New York anti-trust division, was closed yesterday and a report was forwarded immediately to Washington with the D of J office here expecting instructions from Washington today or tomorrow as to whether or not it is to intervene. None was questioned yesterday by (.Continued on Page 2) D of J Quizzes 70 Indies to Bolster Equity Action Approximately 70 independent exhibitors in New York State were interviewed last week by Seymour Kreiger, special attorney for the De (Continued on Page 2) Alliens Attitude Not to Affect Distribs.' Plan to Adopt Proposals Local SMPE Will Inspect Eastern Service Studios Local SMPE will meet at 8 p.m. tomorrow at Eastern Service Studios, Long Island City. Attending membership of close to 150 will inspect the plant. Don E. Hyndman of Eastman Kodak will preside, and Frank K. Speidell, president of Eastman Service Studios, will be principal speaker. He will discuss Eastern production. The 1939 Year Book is now being distributed to all FILM DAILY subscribers.— Advt. Regardless of Allied's contention that the trade practice proposals are incomplete, major distributors will incorporate the provisions in their contracts, it was indicated yesterday. Allied, in an official statement, declared that the proposals "do not provide relief at all commensurate with that asked by the government in its suit" and that they "do not pretend to abolish compulsory block-booking, blind selling and do not touch on the subject of theater divorcement." A checkup yesterday disclosed a (Continued on Page 2) Easily Done If That's What Neely Forces Want, Asserts Pettijohn By MILTON F. LUNCH Washington Bu eau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Hearings on the Neely Bill to prohibit block-booking and blind-selling continued yesterday before the Senate Interstate Commerce sub-committee, with proponents of the bill holding the floor throughout the session. Highlight came when C. C. Pettijohn, MPPDA general counsel, interrupted a witness who had asked that local civic organizations be given a greater choice in the selection of films for the community. Pettijohn stated if that was the (Continued on Page 7) NEW AMUSEMENT TAX BILL IN PENN. HOUSE Harrisburg, Pa. — New amusement tax bill introduced in the House by Rep. E. Kent Kane is intended to raise money to relieve financially distressed school districts and hospitals. A similar bill, introduced previous (Continued on Page 6) Court Keeps Jurisdiction Over Assets of RKO Corp. Settlement of the confirmation order in RKO reorg. proceedings was noticed yesterday to 24 principal law firms representing interests involved, and will be presented to the clerk in Federal Court tomorrow at 10 a.m. Text of order provides that Court (Continued on Page 6) Weisman Files Final Report As Fox Theaters' Receiver Milton C. Weisman, Fox Theaters trustee, yesterday filed final accounting in his request to be discharged (Continued on Page 6) .-> y N