The Film Daily (1940)

M P P l?C] n A 13 I S T Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought FfLE CO ^ The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Twenty-One Years Old rOT 77, NO. 68 NEW YORK, FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 1940 TEN CENTS 3ritisli Exhibitors in Drive for Lower Film Rentals 9 OF C'STLAN no substitute FOR BIL-NEELY L). S. Gets Order For Subpoena Service On Witnesses -Jodkinson, Rowland, Chadwick Among 14 to be Called to Testify I The Government yesterday took a jDng step in its preparation for tial of the New York equity suit Irhen it obtained an order from Fed'ral Judge Samuel Mandelbaum srhich directed the U. S. marshal to (erve subpoenas upon 14 witnesses lor their appearance at the start of he trial on May 1. It was also earned that over 100 subpoenas will (^Continued on Page 3) LASKY'SYlTFiLM I AS WARNER RELEASE }yest Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY \ Hollywood — Jack L. Warner yesterday announced the conclusion of im agreement with Jesse L. Lasky whereby Lasky will produce "The ^.mazing Story of Sergeant Alvin C. aork" at the Burbank studios in as 1 (Continued on Page 6) powdin, Blumberg Renamed by Two Universal Boards Boards of directors of both Uni\ /ersal Corp. and Universal Pictures I Co. yesterday re-elected all officers 'of both corporations. , Universal Corp.'s officers are J. {Continued on Page 6) Hot Dog! : ! ! Albany, Ca. — Paramount will put on the dog, literally, for the world premiere of its "The Biscuit Eater" at the Albany Theater next Thursday. Twentyfour blue blooded hunters, evenly split as to sex, will be decked out in formal attire and, escorted by local dignitaries, will ride in state to the opening, a la Hollywood. Also in good, old Hollywood custom, there will be 40 or 50 every day mutts in fan and autograph seeker roles awaiting them at the theater. Mayor W. B. Haley will welcome the hounds. Canines will see the pix and then have a buffet supper of bones, biscuits and water in the lobby. P. S. — Para. Is arranging for a "large special fireplug at the curb." '^If There Must he Gov^t Regulation, Let B of Che Agency,'' \iew of MPTOA Prexy Columbus, Miss. — Proposals for trade reforms through the instrumentality of a consent decree in the Government's New York equity action, including Federal representation on a three-man commission administering the arbitration machinery, brought this reaction yesterday from Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA prexy: "I am opposed to all Governmental regulation of our industry, but if we must have it, the Department of Commerce is the proper agency." Michigan Construction Boom Grows; Plans Disclosed for 6 More Houses Detroit — ■ Six new theaters are to be erected in Michigan in addition to the dozen or more already planned around Detroit and previously reported. Wisper & Wetsman, who are currently starting construction of the Royal in partnership with United Detroit Theaters, will start work at once on a new 1,500-seat house in the west end suburb of Dearborn, hall a mile west of their present Calvin Theater. Charles N. Agree is the architect. In addition, United Detroit Theaters signed a 15-year lease for the new 1000-seat house to be erected in Birmingham by the new Bloomfield Theater Corp. Plans for this (Continued on Page 8) Retention of British Quota and Admish Taxes Forecast There will be no change in the present status of the British Quota and there is little likelihood that the Government will agree to exhibitors' petitions for reductions in admission taxes or representations for reductions in film hire in the opinion of Harry Curry, British distributor and (Continued on Page 6) One-Third of Columbia's Customers Buy 100 Per Cent Only 33 per cent of Columbia's customers buy 100 per cent of the season's product, A. Montague, Columbia sales manager, declared yesterday at his examination in the Government's equity suit. Montague disputed a Government inference that exhibitors were compelled to (Continued on Page 5) Senator Sees No "Enduring Benefits"; Opposes FiveFeature Blocks Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — ^Department of Commerce proposal for a settlement of the Government's New York equity suit against the majors struck another major snag here yesterday when Sen. Matthew M. Neely, D., W. Va., turned thumbs down. Neely, who said he had obtained a copy of the draft submitted by the Department of Commerce as a tentative consent decree from "an authoritative source," declared that, "If this copy should be agreed upon as the basis of a consent decree, no enduring benefits would follow com (Continued on Page 6) GROUP THEATER WILL SEEK FILM FINANCING CEA General Council Will Get Rental Course of Action at Meet Next Week "Our Town's" Premiere at Music Hall May 24 "Our Town," produced by Sol Lesser for UA release, will have its world premiere at the Radio City Music Hall on May 24. Pix is now in the cutting room. London (By Cable) — Exhibitor agitation here for lower film rentals is scheduled to crystallize into definite action next Wednesday when the General Purposes Committee of the CEA will report a definite course of action to the General Council. Rentals have been moving upwards (Continued on Page S) For the first time since the Group Theater was formed, that organization will seek a finance alliance with motion picture interests of Hollywood, whereby a major producing company would back Broadway plays, (Continued on Page 3) Slot Machine Projectors Said in Development Stage The nickel-in-the-slot film projection machines to be introduced under Roosevelt-Mills auspices are "merely in the development stage," ac(Continued on Page 5) Mass Tele Protest Radio and television retailers are planning a mass protest of the FCC's action in barring limited tele commercialization when hearings reopen in Washington next Monday, it is learned. The groups are aroused over the speech made by Chairman James L. Fly Tuesday when he defended the FCC move. While there is no announcement as to the plan to be followed, it w'as learned that the retailers will offer a joint protest at the inquiry. wjmn