The Film Daily (1940)

•^' ' ''<-■.. J^fc^' l'^'<' * ^J '-^-^ — M i> 1 IJ Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought fILE COPY The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Twenty-Two Years Old :0L. 77, NO. 116 NEW YORK. THURSDAY. JUNE 13. 1940 TEN CENTS iRnold joining in settlement parleys Columbia Plans ^Idea Pictures' For Small Towns Vill Draw on Headlines 'or Group Which Will Itress Action, Suspense Atlantic City — Columbia will aim 5 group of "idea pictures" based on 'eadline angles at small-town audiiices next season, A. Montague, leneral sales manager, disclosed at 16 company's second sales convenon now in session at the Ritz Carlin here. The "idea pictures," supplementiig Columbia's major productions, ill be made with an eye to fast ac|on and suspense — qualities which ,. {Continued on Page 6) )lajors Bid For 3 Iritish GN Films Deal whereby three British picires made by Grand National will 5 distributed by one or more Ameran companies is expected to be osed this week, according to Jef^'ey Bernard, managing director of jie English company, who arrived ii New York Sunday on the Presi3nt Roosevelt. \ The three pictures involved are: , Pastor Hall," "You Will Remem■1 {Continued on Page ?,) farticulars Bill Sought jy Majors in N. J. Suit I Newark — Acting for the eight mair distributors, Arthur T. Vander^llt has served notice he will ask ;onday for a bill of particulars arifying charges of monopoly made jainst distributors in the suit for J {Continued on Page 6) Para. Attachs 17. ;§>. Capital StocU Tax Suit to recover a total of $36,500, paid to the Government as capital stock ■j taxes, under Section 215 of National Industrial Recovery Act, was filed yesterday in Federal Court by Paramount Pictures, Inc. Taxes covering the year ending June 30, 1933 consist of $18,000 paid by Paramount Pictures Distributing Corp.; $16,000 by Paramount Pictures and $2,500 by Parager Corp. The suit attacks the act under which the tax was paid on seven grounds as unconstitutional and Illegal. Expect Rapid Senate Action on Tax Bill Which Sets 30c Exemption^ Extends Levy Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Senate passage of the $1,004,000,000 tax bill, which, among other things, provides for a 10 per cent tax on all theater admissions in excess of 31 cents after July 1 and extension of the admissions tax until 1945, was urged yesterday by Treasury Secretary Morgenthau, appearing before the Senate Finance Committee. Tax measure passed the House, 396 to 6. Senate action is expected to be rapid. Morgenthau told the committee that the time was opportune to revise the country's entire tax structure if Congress was willing to remain in session. There is growing sentiment for such a course. Cliapiin Sues, Wins injunction vs. Life Suit for $1,000,000 damages and an injunction to restrain the publication of a photograph of Charles Chaplin, from the picture "The Dictator," was filed yesterday in Federal Court by Chaplin and Charles Chaplin Film Corp. against Time, Inc., publisher of Life; Henrv R. Luce, Roy E. Larsen, John Shaw Billings, and Charles D. Jackson. Simultaneously, Federal Judge John C. Knox issued a temporary injunction which restricts the cir (Continued on Page 4) Record Exhib. Attendance As Kalmine Fetes Sears Pittsburgh — An all-time high for exhib. guest attendance at a major company convention social event was claimed by Warners last night as upwards of 300 showmen from the territory attended a cocktail party tendered Grad L. Sears, WB sales chief, by Harry Kalmine, theater (Continued on Page 8) Sub-Corn. Taciiies Neely Revamping Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — ■ First step in revamping the Neely bill will be taken today when the sub-committee of the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce committee meets in executive session to consider the film measure. It was learned last night that the sub-committee will lay particular emphasis on the synopsis provision. It is almost certain that the provis (Continued on Page 6) AUied's Reservation List Hits New High Advance reservations for the Allied convention in Chicago next week are reported to be the largest in the history of the organization. Eclipse of the Neely Bill and the move toward the settlement of the Government suit at first were believed to be factors that would limit the attendance; instead, it is re {Continued on Page 8) May Attack Schenck True Bill Exec, and Aide Plead Not Guilty; Light Bail Pascal Will Produce Next Pix in Hollywood West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Production here by Gabriel Pascal of "The Captain of Koepenick" is expected to get under way after the producer arrives here from England in about a month. Pascal's plans to produce here in iContinued on Page 8) Joseph M. Schenck. 20th-Fox board chairman, yesterday pleaded not euilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud the Government of income taxes, perjury, and the filing of false returns, before Federal Judge William Bondy. Joseph H. Moscowitz, Schenck's assistant, also pleaded not guilty to a charge of aiding Schenck in alleged evasions {Continued on Page 4) UA, 'U' Reserving Freedom Of Action; Columbia Said Co-operative in Moves Conferences, attended by counsel for defendant companies in the New York equityaction brought by the Government against the majors, and D of J officials, headed by Thurman Arnold, Assistant Attorney General, continued yesterday with the aim of satisfactorily settling the suit. Following yesterday's session, sources close to the current confabs intimated that, because the "agree {Contintied on Page 6) Abandon Effort to Gel Ori(s in Pix Theaters Indianapolis — American Federation of Musicians, in annual convention here, failed to adopt the resolution demanding the employment of musicians in motion picture theaters. Attitude of the convention was that such action might be regarded as in restraint of trade, and also that the organization had tried for years to get its members in film theaters without success. Retiring {Continued on Page 8) New Brunswick Exhibs. Rap New Tax Ticket St. John, N. B. — Objections have been registered by film exhibitors against a new combination amusement and tax ticket which has been forced on them by the Provincial Censor Board, through a special or {Continued on Page 6) Eastman Issues Lead As Amusetnents Rise Led by Eastman, amusement stocks bounced back on the Big Board yesterday for gains up to S'/s, scored by Eastman common which closed at 125%Eastman preferred was up 5 to 160. Both Paramount and Universal Pictures preferred scored two-point gains. It was the first day in five that amusement issue quotations in all markets did not reflect declines due to the World War 11 situation.