The Film Daily (1938)

2 9 W 4 -4 T H S TW E E T N , Y C 2 1ST FL. fil^" cor Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought I «0\/fc_ The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Nineteen Years Old -1PDAILY V ^) 73, NO. 75 NEW YORK. FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1938 Door is Still Open for UA Deal, Says ickford LIST 22JF 52 TITLES AT_20TH FOX SALES MEET U. S. Supreme Court Will Hear Dallas Appeal Monday Arguments, Expected to be Brief, Are Timed for 2:30 P.M. The U. S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the Dallas anti-trust case appeal Monday at 2:30 P.M., it was learned yesterday. Arguments are not expected to take more than a few hours and there is little likelihood that they will be carried over a second day. Major film distributors will seek to have a lower court decision, unfavorable to them, reversed. They deny that they conspired to restrain interstate trade or violated antitrust laws in stipulating subsequent run admission prices in their standard contracts. PALMERTON TO HEAD ERPI, W. E. ABROAD P. L. Palmerton yesterday in London was elected managing director of Western Electric Co., Ltd., and at the same time was named European manager for Erpi, according to information received by the New York office. Palmerton replaces William Bach, who recently suffered a {Continued on Page 10) United Amusements Prexy Hopeful of "Better Year" Montreal — "Although conditions at present are not quite as good as during the past year," Ernest A. Cousins, president, told shareholders of United Amusements Corp. at the {Continued on Page 10) Aylesworth, Publisher Appointment of M. H. "Deke" Aylesworth, former RKO exec, as publisher of the N. Y. World-Telegram was announced yesterday by Roy W. Howard, president and editor. Aylesworth for more than a year has been a member of the general business management of the Scripps-Howard Newspapers. 66 Top Players on 20th-Fox's Roster Kansas City — Twentieth Century-Fox's 1938-39 program of 52 features will enlist the services of 66 stars and featured players, 18 directors, 11 associate producers and 63 writers, the company's sales conference will be told here today. Edward Ebele remains as production manager, with Sol M. Wurtzel and Harry Joe Brown serving as executive producers under Darryl F. Zanuck. Pix Made in Dominions Can Qualify Only (or British Exhibitor's Quota London (By Cable) — Representatives in Britain of U. S. producers and distributors settled down here yesterday to the study of the new Films Bill as passed by Parliament, and weighed the effects the various new provisions and details would have immediately and in the future on motion picture commerce between the two countries. Examination of the Act's contents revealed that films made in Britain's dominions can qualify only for the exhibitors' quota and not for the renters' quota. This definitely rules {Continued on Page 10) Accuracy of Conquest Blocks M-G-M Libel Suit Paris (By Cable) — Libel suit was averted here when Count d'Ornano, Count Jean Baptiste d'Ornano and Count Guillaume d'Ornano, all direct and legitimate descendants of Marie Walewska, withdrew their case against M-G-M for the betrayal of their ancestor in the film entitled "Conquest." The case was due for a hearing before the President of the Civil Tribunal of the Seine at the Palais de Justice. The preliminary pro cedure was the appointment by the president of an expert to attend the first showing of the film. The Expert found the historical facts accurate and suggested that the d'Ornano family relinquish their claim. d'Ornano attended the screening and agreed with the Expert that a withdrawal of claim was the proper course. This is said to be the first case on record in a European court where the accuracy of a film company's research and presentation prevented a damaging lawsuit. Deal Still Possible— Mary Pick ford,UA Biz is Running 65% Ahead National Theaters Execs. Will Close Meet Tonight National Theaters division heads from all over the country met at the home office yesterday with Spyros Skouras, operating head, to discuss product buying and policies the circuit will follow during the coming {Continued on Page 10) Mary Pickford sailed on the Normandie yesterday for England on a mission described by herself as being one for purely production policy conferences, but one that is looked upon by the trade as having a much deeper significance. Although declining to comment extensively on the much discussed Korda-Goldwyn deal for the control of United Ar{Continued on Page 10) 5 Pix in "Chicago" Category; Two Planned in Technicolor By DAVID A. BROWN Staff Writer of THE FILM DAILY Kansas City — Addressing approximately 100 delegates of 20th-Fox field and home office foxxes from the United States and Canada in the Trianon Room of the Muehlebach Hotel today, John D. Clark, vicepresident and general sales manager of 20th-Fox, will announce for 193839 "the most ambitious program" his company has ever undertaken. Complete lineup and titles of 22 of the 52-picture program will be given to the sales conference. It is understood here that Clark will announce that no changes will be made in the company's sales pol {Continued on Page 7) EXHIB. SHOWMANSHIP NEEDED, SAYS ZANUCK By RALPH WILK West Coast Bureau of THE FILM 'DAILY Hollywood — Unless efforts of the producer are properly supplemented by the presentation of selling facts of his picture to the public, the producer's whole gamble is weakened, {Continued on Page 9) Ascap Annual Meeting Date Will Be Picked Next Week Definite date for the holding of Ascap's annual meeting which was recently deferred due to the illness of the younger son of the Society's {Continued on Page 4) Just for the Ride M. A. Schlesinger, head of General Talking Pictures Corp. and whose interests include distribution and theater operations in South Africa, sailed on the Normandie yesterday for London. Schlesinger would not reveal the purpose of the trip. "I'm just going for the ride," he told reporters, adding that he might have something to say when he returns in about two weeks.