The Film Daily (1940)

THE DAILY Wednesday, April 3, 194(1 D OF G CONSENT PLAN MAY 60 TO CONGRESS (Continued from Page 1) amendment, a course first advanced by Co-operative Theaters of Michigan and exclusively reported by The Film Daily on Feb. 8. At the Department of Commerce, it was emphasized its part has been to indicate to the film industry changes in practice and procedure which it felt necessary to place the industry "on a satisfactory basis," and that the matter essentially was up to the Department of Justice. D of C "Very Hopeful" It was also stated at the D of C that high departmental officials are "very hopeful" of a settlement effected on the basis of the department's report as the same would represent pioneer success and open up "exhaustive work" in this direction by the D of C for the benefit of all American industry. At the D of J, officials declared they had "neither approved nor disapproved" the findings in the report. They added the entire "Commerce plan" is still in the "talking stage" and that no agreement has been reached. Neely Bill Way Clearing Meanwhile, work on the WheelerLea Transportation Bill — chief obstacle to action on the Neely Bill before the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee — is in its final stages, The Film Daily learned. The Neely bill is the next order of business after the transportation measure is disposed of. Conferees on the Wheeler-Lea bill are scheduled to meet this week to formulate a final draft, it was learned, after which the Neely bill will receive consideration, unless headed off by the current JusticeCommerce-Industry negotiations. Senator Matthew M. Neely, Democrat, W. Va., told The Film Daily late yesterday he would watch with greatest interest any consent decree worked out by the Government and majors as a settlement of the New York equity suit now scheduled to go to trial May 1. On studying such decree settlement, Neely said, he would then decide what effect it would have on his pending legislation. Senator Neely Skeptical "I must say," added Neely, "that knowing Will Hays and Charles Pettijohn as I do I cannot believe they would be a party to a consent decree which would achieve the objectives of my bill. In such a case, Fly Defends FCC's Order Rescinding I COMPLETING PROGRAM FOR PCC CONVENTIOI Start of Commercial Tele in Fall (Continued developments, and in elevating standards, Fly then proceeded to answer the question: "Why are we so conservative in respect to television?" He declared that although the motion picture, radio, automobile and other industries have made great progress, such advances were made without causing losses to the general public, but television. Fly declared, is a "key and lock" proposition. Carrying the analogy further, the FCC spokesman said that if the lock or transmitter is changed, "where does that leave the key" or receiver? Although voicing confidence that television has a great future, Fly said that FCC critics have batted 1,000 per cent wrong, because no other industry is comparable to television. He emphasized that he believed that haste was not desirable that time was needed until engineers would agree on standards. Emphasizing his belief that should standards be set now, "no one would have the guts to change them because of the great cost to the public," Fly discussed the possibility of future changes. He also declared that television was too important an industry to risk for immediate gains. from Page 1) \ although he conceded that he found it an "awfully entertaining device." In his second speech yesterday, broadcast at 9 p.m. by MBS and NBC-Red, Fly stated in part: "... I do believe, however, that the American public would deem the Commission unfaithful to its trust if it adopted, or standing by, permitted at this time the crystallization of, any set of standards for television contrary to the engineering opinion of the industry and without adequate trial, or that did not give promise of reasonable satisfactory public service over a reasonable period of time. . ." Declaring that the FCC wanted to be perfectly plain on the question of public participation. Fly stated that the Commission does not wish to discourage set sales now, but that it is important for the public to know that in purchasing sets that "they are definitely partaking in a program of experimentation. . . I do not believe that persons in a position to afford television entertainment at this time will be unduly deterred by that knowledge from getting the immediate benefits which are now available in areas served by television transmitters." (Continued from Page 1) set for tomorrow at the Ambassador. In attendance will be Rotus Harvey and Ben Levin of S;-n Francisco; Hugh Bruen of V^Mbittier; Jack Y. Berman of Los*L^ngeles; Robert H. Poole, executive secretary, and Nat Tanchuck. The Ampa has authorized an industry dinner to be held at Warners studio in conjunction with the convention. George "Daddy" Hines, 82-yearold manager of the Ambassador Theater, said to be the oldest active U. S. exhib. has been appointed chairman of the membership committee of the Independent Theater Owners of Southern California and Arizona, convention hosts. Serving under "Daddy" are Harry Vinnicof, Milton Arthur, S. Steck, Irving Carlin, Harold Glass and Alex Mounce of Los Angeles; George Bourke of Sawtelle; E. S. Calvi of Haw-thorne; Glen Harper, Corona; Al Minor, Burbank; and Earl Strebe, Palm Springs. Those Were the Days! IVesf Coast Bur., THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Irving Cummings, who just completed directing the "Lillian Russell" production for 20th Century-Fox, is sending his intimates duplicates of the old-time cigaret pictures of Miss Russell. And if they don't mean anything to you, "ask Dad, he'll know" because he used to trade a Lillian Russell for a Delia Fox even up, and then wonder if he got cheated on the hip measurements. Kostelanetz Warner Plug West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Andre Kostelanetz will devote his entire half hour "Tune Up Time" program on CBS to Warners picture, "It All Came True," next Monday. Ann Sheridan, Jeffrey Lynn and Humphrey Bogart of the cast will appear on the broadcast. Harry Michalson Weeks As part of the Ned Depinet Drive, RKO has designated the period from April 13 to April 26 as Harry Michalson Weeks, as a tribute to the company's short subjects sales manager. Buy Story for Boyd IVest Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — "Doomed Caravan," an original scenario by Johnston McCully and J. Benton Cheney, has been purchased by Paramount as the second vehicle of the season for William Boyd in the "Hop-AlongCassidy" series. It will follow "Three Men From Texas," which starts Api-il 15. C. H. Brown Estate to Wife Zanesville, 0.— The will of Caldwell H. Brown, general manager and treasurer of Zanesville Theaters, Inc. here, who died recently, filed for probate leaves his estate to his wife "Lights Out in Europe" Set at Little Carnegie "Lights Out in Europe," documentary film made in Europe last Fall by Herbert Kline and Peter Mayer, has been set to open at the Little Carnegie April 13. Picture will be handled nationally by Mayer and Burstyn, although negotiations are still being conducted by the company with several majors who have been dickering for distribution rights, it was said. Feature picture on Borneo will also be released some time this ear by the company. Approximately 100,000 feet of film taken in Borneo has been bought by Mayer, with feature to be edited from this material. I will of course keep on plugging for my bill, while viewing with the utmost interest just what is produced in New York. Let me add that any settlement that does not prohibit blind-buying and block-booking will not achieve the objectives of my bill." Neely declared that had his blockbooking bill been law there would have been no New York equity suit and added that enactment of his pet measure "will free the motion picture industry from litigation by the Federal Government for long years to come." Ford Introduces Editorial Meanwhile yesterday Representative Leland M. Ford, Califomia Republican, introduced in the Congressional record an editorial opposing the Neely bill, from the Argonaut, San Francisco, entitled" Legislative Sabotage Threat to Movie Industry." In introducing the California editorial Congressman Ford declared it "presents strong arguments against the proposed Neely block-booking bill from a non-partisan point of view." After demolishing the moral and economic arguments of Neely bill proponents the editorial concludes: "Perhaps the motion-picture industry has not devised the best way of distributing its products, but to other than a minority of busybodies, it has been quite satisfactory. The product placed before the American public in recent years has constantly improved, and at times has achieved real greatness. These methods, which will also improve with time and not with legislation, must be given the credit. We should like to advise Congress, in the name of common sense, to keep hands off." Added Time for Three Lincoln, Neb.— Extra playing time became the custom, rather than the uncommon here this week. "Young Tom Edison" went 12 days at the Stuart. "Road to Singapore" drew 9 days at the Lincoln, and "Too Many Husbands" garnered 14 days at the Libez'ty. Chi. Operators' Delegates Chicago — Local Operators Union has elected the following delegates to the lATSE convention in Louisville. Prexy Peter Shayne, business agent John Smith, Neal Bishop, vice-president Jack Mulvaney, Robert Burns and Frank Galluza. Cecil Shepherd Dead Chicago — Cecil Shepherd, 33, manager of the Apollo at Belvidere is dead. His wife and daughter survive.