The Film Daily (1940)

? H { SI Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought FILE COPY DO NOT remove: The Daily Newspaper Oi Motion Pictures Twenty-Two Years Old , VOL. ^ NO. 118 NEW YORK, MONDAY, JUNE 17. 1940 TEN CENTS SETTLEMENT TALKS^VER EI6HTP0INTS Sweeping Revision of Admish Tax Is Advanced Penny Levy on 10-25c Tick3ts, 2 Cents on 26-49c Ducats; Then 10%, is Proposed By MILTON F. LUNCH Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Sweeping revision of ;he admission tax scale was proposed ;o the Senate Finance Committee ^'riday by three representatives of Ihe industry. Charles C. Pettijohn, MPPDA, general counsel, was the sole industry witness as the commit;ee considered the tax bill passed by {Continued on Page 14) foil of La. Chain rax Bill Uncertain New Orleans — What Louisiana's :hain theater tax bill if enacted into aw, will cost the film industry anlually is still a matter of question narks. I The bill, which passed the House SQ to 7 and now awaits Senate action, provides a graduated tax for ihains, based on the number of their ouses and ranging from $50 a year or chains of two houses to $200 (Continued on Page 14) i'wo Theater Games Face lourt Test Cases in Mass. North Adams, Mass. — Francis J. aille, manager of the Paramount heater, pleaded not guilty in the P district Court here to setting up nd promoting a lottery. Faille's appearance in court folowed a raid by state and local police in which a number of implements {Continued on Page 14) Little Curly Heads Willi a Dead'Head Detroit — Local exhibs. near the Drivein Theaters are squawking over what they claim is an unfair patron practice which is ruining their juve trade. Driveins, it seem, charge only for adults — kids are free. So wise motorists canvass their home neighborhoods, rustle up a cargo of kids who pay a dime each, and patronize the Drive-ins. The kids' contributions occasionally more than cover the admission for the adult car owner. ]%atton-wide "Ctrcutit" of Bowling Alleys Reported Envisioned by William C. Durant Detroit — Growth of bowling alleys, regarded by exhibs as a serious threat to the b.o., will be materially stimulated by the entrance into the field of William C. Durant, founder and twice head of General Motors, who is staking a major financial comeback upon the alleys. He has erected the first of what is planned to be a series of elaborate, thoroughly modern alleys in Flint, his home town. The Durant project, which apparently has huge capital resources back of it, is expected to become nation-wide. Divorcement Action Waits, Says Neely Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Senator Mathew Neely told The Film Daily Friday that hearings on his Federal divorcement bill would be delayed until the pressing defense legislation was cleared up. Neely said his time had been exclusively occupied with national problems and that he had been unable to devote any time to film matters. Neely's statement was interpreted as an indication that the hearings (Continued on Page 14) League of N. Y. Theaters Objects to DG Agreement Board of governors of the League of New York Theaters will meet Wednesday to discuss some 27 objections to the League's basic agreement with the Dramatists' Guild. Chief objection is thought to be to the present 40-60 division between producers and authors on the sale (Continued on Page 14) Newsreels to Trim War Shots in Prints At a meeting of newsreel heads late last week, it was decided unanimously to cut down on the amount of war news in prints, with horror stuff wholly taboo. Action, it was said, followed a rising tide of protests, principally by mothers and a theater survey which showed that in many cases, business {Continued on Page 16) Majors Using Re-issues In Drive for Revenue Drive by all majors to grab extra playing time with old pictures and re-issues is now well under way. As an example, 20th-Fox is offering between 40 and 60 features dating back as long ago as five and six years. To date the company has had a big demand for "Submarine Patrol," "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Jesse James" and "Tess Of The Storm Country." Four further re-issues are about (Continued on Page 3) Sears Hails Co^op By Exhibs, Tells Warner Convention of '^Fine Spirit^^ Columbia Campaign Prize Winners Are Announced Atlantic City — Columbia wound up its final sales convention of the year here Friday with interest of the delegates centered on two announcements. First was that the company planned to "streamline" its two series of Westerns for 1940-41, while the second concerned final awards won dur (Continued on Page 14) Chicago — "The American exhib., fully conscious of the foreign situation, already has shown his desire to help the film industry absorb the foreign losses in the domestic market," Grad L. Sears, Warner's sales chief, declared here today as the company's second and final sales convention opened at the Blackstone. Asserted Sears: "The exhibitors in the U. {Continued on Page 4) S. have D-J Will Consider Recommendations to be Drafted By Film Co. Presidents Discussions are under way between company heads, counsel and sales managers on a list of subjects proposed by James B. Hayes, Special Assistant to the Attorney General, as a basis for a new consent decree, with recommendations by the company heads to be forwarded to Washington immediately when received by trial counsel for the Government, it was reported over the week-end. It is expected that the recommendations will be returned by all majors not later than the end of this week. Hayes it was learned, proposed {Continued on Page 16) Musicians Reject Anti-Warner Move By HOWARD RUDEAUX FILM DAILY Staff Correspondent Indianapolis — The American Federation of Musicians convention here Friday turned down the demand made by Local 77, Philadelphia, that Warner Bros, be placed on the Federation's unfair list. Local 77's resolution, which was (Continued on Page 3) 25 Hours of Telecasts From GOP Convention NBC, via its New York tele station, will televise approximately 25 hours of programs from the GOP national convention in Philadelphia, according to Alfred H. Morton, NBC vice-prexy. Plans are for two or (Continued on Page 4) O. C. Theater Tests "JVo War*' Film Show Oklahoma City — Midwest Theater, one of the string of houses operated by J. H. Cooper's Standard Theater Corp. in affiliation with Warners, is experimenting with a "no war" program. Bill is topped by "Susan and God." "No war" slant is being used in advertising the show.