Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

Coast Factions Take Arbitrator On Some Points With mass picketing and large-scale but controlled demonstrations taking place around Hollywpod studios last weekend, came the first indications that a peace settlement might be in the offing. Late Sunday night the warring factions agreed to appoint an arbitrator to rule on minor disputes between unions and that no work stoppage would be undertaken during the arbitration. On Monday representatives of the Conference of Studio Unions, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the Screen Actors Guild and the neutral Teamsters Union met to polish details of the proposed arbitration setup. Late Wednesday, the representatives announced the appointment of Joseph Keenan, secretary of the Chicago American Federation of Labor, as arbitration board chairman at a $25,000 annual salary. Promise of an immediate settlement, however, became a little dulled when IATSE's Roy M. Brewer disclosed the conditions under which the arbitration plan would be approved by Richard F. Walsh, IATSE president. These include working out an arrangement under which workmen supplied by the IATSE as replacements for the strikers will be taken care of. Last Thursday IATSE laboratory workers, who had been observing CSU picket lines in defiance of Mr. Walsh's orders, established their own picket lines in a demand for a signed contract and local autonomy. Sunday a settlement of the laboratory workers' strike was announced whereby wage increase and retroactive pay to January 1, 1946, were given to Local 683. With the signing of this contract, Mr. Brewer said the new wage agreements, to become effective with 10 producers November 4, involve an increase in pay of $5,500,000 over a twoyear period and $2,320,000 in retroactive wages. ASCAP Tenders Banquet The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers held a banquet in honor of the delegates from the Confederation Internationale des Societes d'Auteurs et Compositeurs, October 28, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, New York. Delegates from 20 nations were present. The Confederation, a worldwide organization of playwrights, authors and composers, recently completed a special Congress in Washington, D. C. Employ War Veterans Bell and Howell has announced that for several months more than one quarter of its employees have been World War II veterans. The company offers on-the-job training to veterans at its Chicago plants and offices and in its New York, Hollywood and Washington branches. Schwartz Resigns as ATA Vice-President in N. Y. Fred Schwartz last Thursday resigned as New York regional vice,-president of the American Theatre Association following his differences with the organization in its legal fight to eliminate auction selling from the proposed Consent Decree. His position favoring competitive bidding has been knowrt for some time and his resignation had been expected. Mr. Schwartz, who is vice-president of Century Circuit, New York, was elected to the ATA post at its organizational convention last April in St. Louis. Ealand Honored By Home Town Mayor Car/ W. Forsythe of Ferndale, left, congratulates Tom Ealand. TOM EALAND was at a loss for words the other day. So reported the Ferndale, Mich., Gazette. Ferndale is Tom's town, and he is Ferndale's leading citizen. The Exchange Cluh there named him so. That was when Mr. Ealand was speechless. It all happened October 22, at the Exchange Club's Golden Deeds Banquet in the Methodist Church. Thomas H. Ealand, civic-minded exhibitor, was publicly appreciated by his neighbors, represented by Mayor Carl W. Forsythe. The Mayor said: ' "The city appreciates Tom, and it understands what he has done. Though there may be hundreds eligible for this award, there is none more deserving. During the War Loan drives here, Tom worked day and night as chairman to help Ferndale reach its quota in each drive. He never failed — nor did the city. In his zeal to keep Ferndale out in front, he neglected his business and undermined his health. The result was, that after each campaign, he went to a sanitarium to rest up and regain his strength. Tom is the salt of the earth, the kind of people you like to have around." Tom, who runs the Ferndale theatre, and is, according to the Gazette, "usually a very convincing and fluent talker, ready with a rapid flow of words," merely credited the drive success to everyone in Ferndale. Fielding Urges Censor Revoke "Outlaw"Permit In a plea before Dr. Ward. C. Bowen, director of the Motion Picture Division of the New York State Education Department, Benjamin Fielding, New York City License Commissioner, asked that the censor board revoke the permit for Howard Hughes' "The Outlaw" and ban it from exhibition anywhere in the state. Appearing last Friday Commissioner Fielding, through Charles F. Preusse, First Assistant Corporation Counsel representing the License Department, argued that the advertising for the picture was "offensive, indecent and immoral." The picture had been scheduled to open at three Broadway theatres last Saturday. Prior to the opening Commissioner Fielding and Police Commissioner Arthur Wallander threatened legal action if the theatres exhibited the film. Justice Carroll G. Walter denied United Artists, the distributor, a Supreme Court order compelling exhibition of the film previously contracted for by Arthur Mayer and Harry Brandt, operators of the three theatres. Following the license commissioner's plea last Friday, Dr. Bowen adjourned the session until this Friday, November 1, to hear the defense by Edward Raftery, president of United Artists, Harry L. Gold, general manager of Hughes Productions, and Milton Diamond, attorney for producers and exhibitors. In Spokane, Wash., county authorities have declined to give the Spokane film censor board authority to ban showing of "The Outlaw" outside the city limits. However, the authorities agreed to write an unofficial letter requesting suburban drive-in theatres not to show the picture. Meanwhile, Mr. Hughes' anti-trust suit against the Motion Picture Association has been placed on the trial calendar in the United States District Court in New York, with the indication that it will come up for hearing at the beginning of the year. Scheduled for a non-jury trial the case has been assigned number 770 on the calendar, with the court having reached number 500 to date. Trailers for Seal Sale Completed by RKO A trailer publicizing the 40th annual sale of Christmas seals for the benefit of the National Tuberculosis Association has been completed by RKO-Radio. The 70-second short features Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Shirley Temple who make an appeal for funds to carry on the work of controlling tuberculosis. It was directed by Dore Schary. Approximately 6,500 prints will be released for showing from November 25 to Christmas day. There will be no audience collections after the screening. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 2, 1946 25