The Film Daily (1948)

<?fe Monday, March 15, 1948 Parliament to Gel on Duly After Easter (Continued from Page 1) glo-American four-year agreement ending the seven months' long impasse was officially ratified. Eric A. Johnston, as president of the MPAA-MPEA, and James A Mulvey, as SIMPP representative, signed the agreement for the American film industry, with Wilson affixing the official British signature. It was obvious that the basic agreement (the text, which will be officially released after some details are determined, was digested exclusively in New York in The Film Daily on Friday) left unanswered several major questions, principal among which were: 1. Upon what basis and by what formula will the remittable $17,000,000 annually for the next two years be distributed? 2. Ditto the equivalent of the earnings in the U. S. of British pictures during the same period. 3. Will there be special provision made for those American distributors which now are largely responsible for British releasing in the U. S. — Universal Int'l, Eagle Lion, 20th-Fox? From one source, however, came the flat assertion that U. K. film earnings in the U. S. would be remitted to this side, and then re-remitted to the U. S. by the Bank of England, with no advantage to any American company. Johnston, at the press conference here Friday, indicated that remittable dollars would be shared "equitably" among the majors and the indies, et al, possibly on the basis of company earnings in the United Kingdom.^ In this connection, Mulvey declared that the indies were "admirably safeguarded." (In New York at the week-end, it was the general belief that company participation would be on the basis of total earnings. It was difficult to estimate, however, what individual company shares would be inasmuch as the majority of company financial statements do not segregate British earnings. A notable exception is Universal which in its 1947 fiscal year received $4,880,000 in British remittances, according to the last annual report to the stockho'ders. Universal product in the U. K., however, earned between $10,000,000 and $11,000,000, it is reported.) It was understood here that the division pattern would be worked out following the return to the U. S. of Johnston, Mulvey, Joyce O'Hara and Allen Dulles who, changing plans, sailed on the SS Queen Mary at the week-end. Original plans had called for emplaning Saturday. It was anticipated that executives meanwhile would be Joseph Heads AMPP Publicity Committee West Coast Bur., THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — John Joseph, national director of advertising and publicity for Universal-International, has been elected chairman of the AMPP's studio publicity directors committee. Joseph succeeds Howard Strickling, studio publicity head, who becomes chairman of the publicity directors' executive committee. BOSTON U HONORS SKOURAS, RANK BOSTON "TEXT of citations read as President Daniel L. Marsh of Boston University * conferred honorary degrees Friday upon Spyros P. Skouras and J. Arthur Rank at the traditional Founders' Day convocation exercises in Symphony Hall as the opening event of a three-day Institute devoted to the theme, "Social Responsibilities of American Leadership" : JOSEPH ARTHUR RANK, British indus SPYROS PANAYIOTIS SKOURAS, president of the Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation; born in Greece, came to this country, and at the earliest possible time became a naturalized citizen; an illustration of the fact that America is still the land of opportunity, for you began as an immigrant bus boy in a hotel, and then you both found and made opportunity in the theater and1 motion picture business until you have now become capable and powerful head of the Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, by means of which a boy from the land of Pericles and Socrates and Plato furnishes entertainment and information daily to multiplied millions of persons in the land of Washington and Lincoln and Wilson — I confer upon you Boston University's honorary degree of "Doctor of Laws." SKOURAS trialist, with many business interests, you founded, as an avocation, the Religious Film Society, which was later expanded to include commercial pictures; later you acquired control of Gaumont-British and, still later, control of the Odeon Theaters; formed Eagle Lion; you are the Founder and Chairman of the J. Arthur Rank Organization; member of the Board of Universal; President of the BFPD; you have brought religious ideals into the motion picture business, and have made motion pictures glorify that which is commendable in human appetites and instincts; we esteem you as a presentday illustration of the ancient characterization of Englishmen at their best: a man of light and leading — I confer upon you Boston University's honorary degree of "Doctor of Laws." RANK Skouras Sees Video Film's Humanity Peak (Continued from Page 1) honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from the university. For text of the citation see page six.) "In a forum devoted to the subject of public enlightenment, it is mo9t appropriate to single out the entertainment motion picture as a momentous factor in the held of international education," Skouras said. Terming the film the touchstone of the international brotherhood, Skouras stated: "Those Governments and legislators which try to stifle free expression and curb the flow of information across the borders of some countries cannot prevail against mankind's demand for knowledge free'y imparted." "The screen belongs to you men of learning," Skouras said, "to you leaders of public opinion and to the lowliest of your neighbors. "Nourish it in the fresh invigorating climate of freedom and you will have a magnificent ally in every endeavor for a finer, saner world." U. S. Companies Ship Initial Films to U. K. (Continued from Page 1) order to prepare prints for immediate release when possible. Included in the Fox shipment were "Forever Amber," "Sitting Pretty," "Captain From Castile" and "Call Northside 777." Although no decision as to date of shipment had been made, Warner's and Loew's were both compiling lists of initial films scheduled for U. K. Loew's has tentatively scheduled "Cass Timberlane," "Green Dolphin Street," "This Time For Keeps," "Three Daring Daughters," "Body and Soul" (Enterprise) and "Homecoming." On the Warner list is "My Wild Irish Rose," "Treasure of the Sierra Madre," "Life With Father," "April Showers," "To The Victor" and "Winter Meeting." irmulating a variety of proposals for the >ming MPAA board meetings. (One of the "thorns" arising in New York in the wake of the agreement was the fact that revenues from pix already in Britain presumably were to be included in the $17,000,000 figure. It was noted, for instance, that "Best Years of Our Lives" thus far has played only prerelease in the London West End, with general release set for next month. While the picture has earned about $1,000,000 in the West End engagements, that figure will be greatly exceeded in the general release.) Of the questions left unanswered, those bearing on the split of U. S. film earnings of U. K. pix — or actually their equivalent — were the most puzzling here. (And no less in New York at the week-end. — Editor.) Wou!d the earnings be poo'.ed? And if so, would all companies benefit and upon what basis? Again, this angle: In the instance of J. Arthur Rank, what happens to his share of the amount earned by his pictures here after Universal has received its 30 per cent as distributor? Could Universal pay him the equivalent out of its frozen funds in England? With the agreement providing for the expenditure of unremittable funds for projects in the "arts and sciences," Johnston at the press conference Friday declared, "We hope we can help finance an art theater in London, to be constructed on the Thames." (Foreign managers met in New York Friday to canvass the Anglo-American settlement provisions, but no statement was forthcoming.) Gov't Rushes Film Export Authorization (Continued from Page 1) plane. He reported that the companies were asking for the earlie?*j\ossible service on their export li'*jes. In the meantime, study of the^new U. S.-U. K. film's agreement resulted here in a tempering of the initial skepticism with which it had been received. It was pointed out that 1947 U. K. earnings of American pix were only about $48,000,000, rather than $68,000,000, and it has been estimated that 1948 earnings might drop as low as $35,000,000. If this forecast is accurate, about half the earnings are convertible. In addition, remittable British earnings in this country — now said to be $3,000,000— may go to $5,000,000 this year — which would mean a take of $22,000,000. This would mean, in effect, realization in dollars of about 65 per cent of the U. K. earnings of Hollywood pix. Wheeler Feted by FC Prior to Departure A testimonial luncheon to Samuel Wheeler was given Friday in thf Hotel Astor by Film Classics executives prior to the former's departure for California where he will serve as executive head of the company's West Coast division. Among those attending were Josepl Bernhard, B. G. Kranze, Jules K Chapman, Al Zimbalist, Ted Birn baum and Eugene Arnstein. St. Louis Realart Franchise St. Louis — Realart franchise fo: for this territory has been acquirer by Herman Gorelick and Georgf Phillips. Area is last link in Real art's nationwide system of ex changes. Right Way to Celebrate V/est Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Julian Johnson cele brated his 17th anniversary as stor? editor at 20th Century-Fox whei Darryl Zanuck picked up his optioi for another year. Sarnoff Links Tele Future to the Atom Boston — Radio receivers no larger than a wrist watch and tiny television sets the size of a pocket camera were envisaged by Brig. Gen. David Sarnoff, RCA president, in an address Friday night at Boston University's Founders Day Banquet, entitled "Science at New Crossroads." He said that such invention would be made possible by the utilization of mere specks of radioactive material from nuclear fission. The honorary degree of Doctor of Commercial Science was conferred upon General Sarnoff.