The Film Daily (1948)

#te? Thursday, March 4, IS Vol. 93, No. 43 Thurs., March 4, 1948 lOCts. JOHN W. ALICOATE Feldman FUes $1,000,000 Action on Rights to Novel DONALD M. MERSEREAU Associate Publisher nd General Manager CHESTER B. BAHN Editor Published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays at 1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. Y., by Wid's Films and Film Folk, Inc. J. W. Alicoate, President; Donald M. Mersereau, Vice-President and Treasurer; Patti Alicoate, Vice President and Secretary. Entered as second class matter, Sept. 8, 1938, at the post-office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Terms (Postage free) United States outside of Greater New York $10.00 one year; 6 months, $5.00; 3 months, $3.00. Foreign, $15.00. Subscribers should remit with order. Address all communications to THE FILM DAILY, 1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. Y. Phone BRyant 9-7117, 9-7118, 9-7119, 9-7120, 9-7121. Cable address Filmday, New York. WEST COAST OFFICES Ralph Wilk, Manager 6425 Hollywood Blvd. Phone: Granite 6607 WASHINGTON BUREAU Andrew H. Older 6417 Dahlonega Rd. Phone: Wisconsin 3271 CHICAGO BUREAU Joseph Esler. Chief C. L. Esler 6241 N. Oakley Ave. Phone: Briargate 7441 STAFF CORRESPONDENTS LONDON— Ernest W. Fredman. The Film Renter. 127-133 Wardour St.. W. 1. HAVANA— Mary Louise Blanco, Virtudes 214. BOMBAY — Ram L. Gogtay, Kitab Mahal, 190 Hornby ltd.. Fort, Bombay 1. ALGIERS — Paul Saltar. Filmafric, 8 Rue Charras. MONTREAL— Kay Carmii'hael. Room 9. 464 Francis Xavier St. VANCOUVER — Jack Droy. 411 Lyric Theater Bids;. SYMNEY ISmvderi Fletcher. 19 Moxon Ave.. Punchbowl, N. S. Phone, UY 2110. BRUSSELS— Jean Pierre Meys, 110 Rue des Paquerettes. finAIKIAL = (March 3) = NEW YORK STOCK MARKET Net High Low Close Chg. Am. Seat 17% 173/8 17%+ % Columbia Picts. vtc. 10y8 10 10 — % Ecst. Kodak 40 39% 395/8 — % Gen. Prec. Eq 14% 14 14%— % Loew's, Inc 16'/4 15% 16%+ % Paramount 18% 18l/2 18%+ % RKO 7% 73/8 7i/i + % Republic Pict 3% 33/8 33/8 Republic Pict. pfd.. .9 9 9 + % 20th Century-Fox ... ^9^/8 19% 193,4 + % Universal Pict 11 % 11 U'/4 Warner Bros 11 10% 10%— % NEW YORK CURB MARKET RKO iy4 1% 1% Sonotone Corp 33/8 33/8 33/8 Technicolor 12% 12 12'/4 Trans-Lux 5% 5% 5% — % OVER THE COUNTER Bid Asked Cinecolor 4% 5 Pothe 3% 4 West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Claiming ownership of film rights to Gerald Butler's novel, "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands," Charles K. Feldman filed a $1,000,000 Superior Court damage action against Universal, Burt Lancaster, Joan Fontaine, Eagle Lion and other participants in the projected film. Picture is scheduled to go before the cameras on March 15, with Norma Productions producing. Harold Hecht, Lancaster's associate in Norma, said Richard Vernon, producer of the film, acquired film rights to the novel directly from the author last year, and turned his interest over to Norma. Feldman claims optional rights were acquired by Eagle Lion and sold to Feldman. Local 306 Members Meet Tomorrow to Map Action Members of Local 306 projectionists will meet again tomorrow morning at the Palm Gardens at 306 W. 52nd St. to decide what to do as a result of today's negotiations between the union's executives and reps of the major circuits. The 750 projectionists, working in the theaters which are involved in the negotiations, have told Herman Gelber, president of the union, that they are ready to strike. In some theaters during the past few days, managers have complained about negligence in the booth. So far, Gelber has not received an answer to Tuesday's wire to Richard F. Walsh, IATSE president, requesting authorization to strike. View Voluntary Censorship As Unit Probes Violations Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — A subcommittee of eight was named yesterday to study "recent violations of security" and submit a report in a month to a group of 30 representatives of radio, press and newsreels. During a daylong meeting, an official call for a "voluntary security" censorship was voiced by Secretary of Defense Forrestal and other high military and naval officers. Forrestal presented a brief statement of the security problem in the disbursing of news and passed on to the group suggestions which had been made informally to him about a possible method for enlisting the voluntary support of news media to check security violations. The subcommittee included: Editor of the Washington Evening Star, McKelway, ex-officio chairman, also chairman of the Conference; Lyle C. Wilson, United Press; Relman Morin, Associated Press; Justin Miller, NAB president; Perry G. Ithens, editor of Popular Science monthly and representative of scientific and technical magazines; William Chenery, publisher of Collier's; Walton C. Ament, vee-pee and general manager of Pathe News, representing all newsreels, and Gene Dawson, Indianapolis, Aviation Writers Association president. Perkins Sailing for London J. E. Perkins, Paramount's chj man and managing director Great Britain, will leave for his fice in London on the SS Queen M tomorrow, after a two-month s in the States. Deny Schenck-Skouras Chain if Divorcement Hits West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Charles P. Skouras was out-of-town yesterday and unavailable for comment on a published report that in event the U. S. Supreme Court approved the antitrust decree as it now stands or declared for all-out divorcement, he would leave National Theaters and establish a chain of 1,500 theaters. Report said that under same circumstances Joseph Schenck would leave 20th-Fox and join Skouras in circuit operation, but this is denied by authentic sources. Here we are at 245 W. SSTH ST. Ready to serve you with NEW finest special announcement trailers. YORK PHONE U you haven't tried Filmacks PLAZA quality and rapid service, send us 7-3809 your next order and be agreeably surprised. ^^^ EXCHANGE SERVICE Physical of Film i»XZZ} I r I L M A c k I : ^'" \ I nspection — Receiving — Ship is part oi 'BON DEB'S 3-WAY SERVICE" • Film Exchange Service • Air Conditioned Screenh ONDEP To.T* Schlaifer in Omaha for Meetings on "Agreement" Omaha — Charles Schlaifer, 20thFox director of advertising and publicity, arrived here from the Coast yesterday for discussions with local exhibs. on merchandising plans for "Gentleman's Agreement." Schlaifer conducted similar sessions Tuesday in Salt Lake City, and meetings are scheduled for other cities. Heineman Establishes New E-L Sales District NEW YORK THEtVTEl ,— RADIO CITY MUSIC HAU Rockefeller Center RONALD COLMAN "A DOUBLE LIFE" SIGNE HASSO • EDMOND O'BRIEN A Kanin Production A Universal-International Release SPECTACULAR STAGE PRESENTATION Creation of a Southwestern-Central district, initial step in the rezoning of Eagle Lion sales areas, was announced yesterday by William J. Heineman, vice-president in charge of distribution. Clair Hilgers, Southwestern district chief, will head the new area which is comprised of the Oklahoma City, Dallas, St. Louis, Des Moines and Omaha exchanges. YOUR FILM DAILY DELIVERED TO YOU IN LOS ANGELES AND VICINITY BIT MANNING'S DELIVERY SERVICE A SPECIALIZED MESSENGER AND DELIVERY SERVICE HO-3129 "A VERY FUNNY PICTURE"— Sur SAMUEL GOLDWYN presents CARY LORETTA DAVID GRANT. YOUNG NIVEN! "The Bishop's Wife" Doors Open ,Ctad B'wayat 9:45 a.m. ASTOR 45th St. PALACE EDDIE CANTOR -JOAN DAVIS CHARLES DIN6LE BOBBY DRISC0LL \ BING CROSBY BOB HOPE numhtm\ss^^ 2SP& THEANDRfrVS SISTERS IWCK&Dor * WALT DISNEY'S BAMBI COLOR BY TECHNICOLOR BRANDT'S REPUBLIC 3U°St. ■^STEWART} PUIS ON STAGE HOWHSJOt RAYE & NALD Extra! GIL LAMB roxy C.nturr _J7)h Ave & J0,h s, Gentleman!* Agreement MANdV? 20k«NTURY.« IflMT in IK 7th Ave t 47th St