The Film Daily (1948)

T3%t Wednesday, March 17, 19' WP1X to Have 3-Unit Motion Picture Dep't Television station WPIX, scheduled to commence operation June 15, will have its own newsreel department and complete facilities for all film operations, Robert L. Coe, station manager, announced yesterday. James S. Pollack, former Hollywood film executive, has been named manager of the department which will be divided into three distinct units — Local Newsreel, Newsreel Editing and Film Relations. Walter Engels, a member of the N. Y. Daily News picture staff for 12 years, will head the Local Newsreel unit. Seven newsreel photographers, a laboratory supervisor, two film developers and an electronic engineer have been assigned to this department which will be responsible for newsreel coverage of the New York metropolitan area. Although the director of the Newsreel Editing department has not been named, Paul Keogh, a newsreel editor, and Agnes Moss, film cutter, are already assigned. E. T. Woodruff will direct the Film Relations department, function of which is to act as liaison with the producing companies. U. S. Distribs. Can Acquire U. K. Pix for Latin America (Continued from Page 1) ican countries in remittables from this side are challenged here as inaccurate. Actually, this was the Johnston quote, it is said: "It will be permitted for American companies in the U. K. to spend sterling on the showing rights for British films in Central and South America, but not Canada." There was no suggestion at any time, it is added, that Latin American earnings be included in remittables. The basic agreement places no restriction on within-the-industry investment of blocked dollars, it is noted. Thus, it would be possible — and desirable from the American position—to invest in Latin American rights to any British product deemed suited to that market. "Marius" Preview Friday Siritzky International will preview first part of the Marcel Pagnol trilogy comprising "Marius," "Fanny," "Cesar," on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. at the Elysee. Pic was directed by Alexander Korda. | Send (Birthday, % QreetinyA ZJt ; ■ P March 17 % Edward Golden Marie Quillan jjt Sid Grauman Don Dillaway }.♦ Sonny Barkas Michael O'Shea *.♦ Robert W. McGrath J.t ">M PHIL M. DALY Mid-tveek Memos • • • PRODUCER-DIRECTOR GEORGE STEVENS, honor guest at yesterday's Radio City Music Hall cocktail party hosted by Gus S. Eyssell. observes that just as there's a segment among movie fans in the U. S. who go to the movies only when a foreign film is showing, similarly abroad, particularly in France — which cinema longhairs point to as THE leader in TRUE film making — there are those who will go to see only American films because of their freshness, etc Seems that many a pic rated as a "B" over here receives a huge Gallic welcome Stevens' point that Yankees aren't the only gullibles when product is labelled IMPORTED. T T T • • • IT DEVELOPS that Samuel Goldwyn himself hit upon "Cary and the Bishop's Wife" as that new comedy "selling" title The shift in emphasis is attracting the younger set. backbone of the motion picture audience. ... • With the national farm income for the first guarter of the year up 6 per cent over the 1947 period, exhibitors in the smaller towns should be doing okay. ... • Add Signs-o'-the-Times Dep't.: February production of television sets hit 35,889 for a new high. ... • Speaking of video. Zenith will bring out its "Phonevision" system come Fall. ... © And still speaking of television, Paramount's Loren L. Ryder, president of the SMPE, tells the Wall Street Journal that "television broadcasting people have developd about all they are going to develop for theaters" You also have Ryder's word for it that exhibs are "talking nickels and dimes in a billion dollar business." . . . • Century Circuit's Vogue Theater in Brooklyn today opens the first annual exhibit of the Artists of Tomorrow Exhibition will stay for six weeks. ... • The screen original story seems to be a minor consideration in Hollywood these days Warners has a total of 23 literary and theatrical properties completed, in production or in preparation while Paramount has 19 novels either awaiting release, in screen form or in preparation for production If you are looking for the reason just remember novels and plays are deemed to be "pre-sold," T T T • • • MAYBE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT has no immediate plans for film industry nationalization, but a new Labour Party document, "Public Ownership — Next Step," is more than a straw in the wind. ... • Boston is bidding for the American premiere of JAR's "Hamlet" May get it, too, remembering that "Henry V" ran 35 weeks there. ... • If you think that press and radio commentators on films are rough, you really should read how the sports writers take club owners apart — Branch Rickey, for instance. ... • Among industryites attending William Jaife's birthday party at his home the other eve were Spyros P. Skouras, Hanry Kalmine, Joseph Hazen, Joseph Bernhard and their respective wives. ... • Si and Dodo Seadler remembering friends back East with postcards from Big Boulder Ranch, Castle Hot Springs, Ariz. ▼ T T • • • EAST IS EAST. BUT WEST IS WEST: Eric A. Johnston's conclusion after "bargaining" with Harold Wilson, president of the Board of Trade: "If he were in America, he'd be a great capitalist" Br'r Wilson's reaction to EAJ: "The Russians were much less tough." T T T • • • AND NO MARCH 17 COLUMN being complete without a bit of St. Patrick's Day color, be it reported that the Capitol Theater, where "Naked City" is playing, has seen to it that all display photos of Barry Fitzgerald today are wreathed in — you guessed it! — green shamrocks And the top o' the morning to you, too! MPEA Protest Ignore By Dutch East Indies (Continued from Page 1) cient films to offer serious compel tion to Hollywood. There is no discrimination^^ pre ent, although the total nwfc-r films which can be broughf^Ro tl islands has been limited by agre ment. There is also a possibility, repor Department of Commerce pix chu I Nathan D. Golden, that the Gover | ment will move to force exhibito | to screen the domestically-produc-' Multifilm newsreel. This new Go ernment-sponsored reel is apparent having a tough time competing wi foreign reels. Benoit-Levy to Hollywood To Talk UN Angle in Films Jean Benoit-Levy, executive dire tor of the United Nations Fil Board, and director of the films ai visual information division of t UN, will arrive in Hollywood tomo row for an eight-day stay. While in Hollywood, Benoit-Le will confer with studio toppers i garding the increased role films c; play in advancing the cause of pea and that of the UN. He will discuss current and futu Hollywood productions as well ideas for specific pictures that cou be made for international distrib tion by the American industry. House Rejects Proposals ! For Theater Bldg. Controls (Continued from Page 1) mercial building, while Mrs. Dougl offered an entirely new bill includii those controls. In the meantime the Housing E pediter announced approval for eig theater projects totaling $501,687 aJ. denial of 13 calling for $618,024 la^ week. Okays for $150,000 structur were granted George Stamm, A tioch, Calif., and Minnehaha Theat Corp., Minneapolis. Three Video Dates Today for Truman If President Truman manages to keep all his dates today, he will set a record for appearances by a public figure on television during a single day. First he will be televised as he i addresses a joint session of Congress in the House Chambers at 12:15 p.m. The telecast will be carried on the full NBC East Coast network. Following that he is scheduled to fly to New York to review the St. Patrick's Day parade. Here he also will be televised by NBC cameras. Finally he will be televised by NBC as he addresses the Association of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick at the Astor Hotel.