Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1948)

Britain Lends to Two Producers London Bureau Scotching several lay and trade paper reports to the contrary, H. J. Lawrie, head of the Film Finance Company here, disclosed last week that, with a number of applications reaching his desk, only two advances had been made to date to producers whose programs had satisfied him. He also cleared up the question of American participation in the financing plan, saying it was unlikely that money would be made available to U. S. producers in view of the urgent necessity to give attention to British film makers. Also, he said, this matter in any event was a question to be considered by the British Treasury. Mr. Lawrie denied that United Artists had applied for a production loan. The two companies granted advance funds by the Film Finance Company are British Lion and Exclusive Films, Ltd. Although refusing to quote exact amounts, Mr. Lawrie said British Lion had received "in excess of one million pounds at four per cent interest." Exclusive Films, which enjoys considerable repute among exhibitors as the distributor of reliable second features, received "around £26,000 at four and one-half per cent interest." RKO Appeals for Exemption In Jackson Park Suit Chicago Btireau RKO's appeal to be exempted from the contempt charges in the Jackson Park decree was heard by the Circuit Court of Appeals here Tuesday. The arguments put forward involved the corporate relationship of RKO. Miles Seeley, RKO attorney, contended that the RKO Palace here is not owned, leased or operated by RKO Pictures, but is a separate subsidiary operating as the Chicago Orpheum Company. He admitted, however, that it is a "left arm"' of the parent corporation, RKO. Thomas McConnell, Jackson Park attorney, produced evidence which, he said, proved that the Palace is a corporate mechanism of RKO Pictures. Stating that "all the money came from the same till," he wanted to know "if it is true that the Palace is not owned by RKO, why Mr. Seeley or the other RKO witnesses during the litigation did not deny it." Extra Guild Urges No Contract with Studios The board of the Screen Extras Guild in Hollywood last week submitted to its members a report containing producers' contract proposals and called on the membership to vote against acceptance. The report states that after negotiating for six months the producers still refuse to eliminate the $9.45 a day rate for mob scene work. The Guild holds that this refusal has the effect of depriving players of unemployment insurance rights. Myers to Appear Before House Group Nov. 15 Washington Bureau The House Small Business Committee will not conduct hearings in New Orleans December 1 during the annual convention of the Allied States Exhibitors, as previously announced, it was learned last week. Instead, Abram F. Myers, chairman of the board of Allied, will be invited to appear as a witness at the final hearings of the committee November 15-16, when a variety of subjects, including the problem of small exhibitors, will be discussed. It is expected Wright D. Patman (D., Tex.) ranking minority member of the committee, will introduce a resolution to retain the committee in the 81st Congress. If the House approves, Mr. Patman will become committee chairman. High Court Refuses to Review Lawson Case Now Washington Bureau The United States Supreme Court last week refused an immediate review of the case of John Howard Lawson, screen writer cited for contempt of Congress, now pending in the U. S. Court of Appeals in Washington. The refusal upholds the stand of the Department of Justice, which had previously opposed such review, bypassing the normal procedure of a trial in the Court of Appeals, because the case was not "of such transcendent public importance and interest." This means that Mr. Lawson, who has approximately 10 days to enter his final briefs, can still appeal the case to the Sur preme Court later if the Court of Appeals should uphold the contempt citation. Eastern U. A. District and Branch Managers Hold Meeting All United Artists eastern district and branch managers met Saturday at the UA home office for a general sales conference under the direction of Edward M. Schnitzer, eastern and Canadian sales manager, and Paul N. Lazarus, Jr., executive assistant to the president. District managers included Jack Ellis and Moe Dudelson. Branch managers attending included John Dervin, James L. Winn, Frank Meadow, S. E. Applegate, Leonard Mintz, Gerald P. Price, Jack Finberg, Harris Dudelson, and Sidney J. Bowman. Charles S. Chaplin, Canadian district manager, and Douglas Rosen, Toronto branch manager, also attended. Tri-State to Discuss Conciliation Dec. 9 Conciliation proposals may be the first order of business at'the open meeting of TriState Theatre Owners which the board of directors has scheduled for December 9, in Memphis. The guest speakers will include Arthur H. Lockwood, president, and Herman Levy, general counsel, of Theatre Owners of America. Wilcox Expects 80 from Britain Britain, by the end of this year, will have turned out a record 80 pictures, Herbert Wilcox, British producer, said in New York Monday, following his arrival from England. Mr. Wilcox outlined the purpose of his visit as being two-fold, aiming first at discussions of a joint production-distribution deal with American film interests and, second, at the arrangement of private showings for two of his films — "Spring in Park Lane" and "Elizabeth of Ladymead," both starring Anna Neagle, his wife, who accompanied him. Mr. Wilcox said "two or three" American producers were interested in his split production-distribution idea. However, he said he did not expect any such reciprocal deal to be finalized during his current visit. Under such an arrangement, he would affiliate with American interests to make pictures in England that would be "of boxoffice value in both countries." Distribution then would be split into two zones — eastern and western. The British producer, who returns to London Tuesday to start production on a Technicolor film, "Maytime in Mayfair," urged American and British interests to "get closer together and not farther apart," saying that there was "so much we can get of value from Hollywood and so much they can get from us." Crescent Wins Right to Build House; Another Denied Crescent Amusement Company may erect a new theatre at Morristown, Tenn., but cannot construct a drive-in outside of Hopkinsville, Ky., Judge Elmer D. Davies, of U. S. District Court in Nashville, ruled last week. As to the Morristown case, Judge Davies ruled that "the intervening petition of Baker and Hale of Morristown was filed without permission of the court and that the answer thereto by Crescent was likewise unauthorized." Both petition and answer were stricken out and the erection of the theatre was allowed. No reason was given for the denial of the drive-in petition, but the application was "denied without prejudice to the right of the applicant to renew application any time." Paramount Reduces Arkansas Clearance First-run clearances in Little Rock, Ark., were reduced last week from 60 to 42 days by Paramount, with all subsequent availabilities moving up accoraingly. The reduction, one of the most substantial made to date, is the third in recent months, following similar moves in Indianapolis and Minneapolis, and is in accordance with Paramount's program of reducing clearances with almost constant investigations of film marketing and trade conditions. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 13. 1948 21