The Film Daily (1940)

I Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought Do not remove: The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Twenty-Two Years Old ar^^DAiLY VOL. 78, NO. 117 NEW YORK, MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1940 TEN CENTS ONE -THIRD OF NEEDED PRODUCT NOT SOLD Allied to be Clearing House for Decree Protests THE WEEK IN REVIEW Warns vs. Arbitration By L. H. MITCHELL DOMESTIC CONSENT DECREE: Twentieth Century-Fox issued warning to its sales personnel to avoid arbitration under the consent decree, declaring jit would be expensive and consume valuable time. . . . N. W. Allied proposes a five-state conference on legis.ation to nullify through state legislation some of the decree's provisions. . , . Canadian indies want "reforms" of the U. S. consent decree made applicable to them, and not be treated Foijias a "step-child" by U. S. distribs. . . . Gov't assured the "Little Three" that its anti-trust suits against Schine, Griffith and Crescent circuits 1 would be tried separately. * * * ' ASCAP: U. S. Supreme Court will review the NebraskaAscap case, j with Tennessee expected to revoke its statute against the comuany. As|cap has said a definite "No" to a j suggested consent decree if, as reported, the Government should take I a hand in settling the Ascap-Radio i dispute over music fees. Exhibs. are I opposed to any attempt by Hollywood | to resort to the "grand rights" angle I to insure film music plugs on the air "if and when the Ascap-Radio split comes. HAPPENINGS: RKO is trimming its program, concentrating on major pix, setting 39 features for 1940-41. . . . B & K was fined $5,000, B & K Management Corn. $2,500 and Paramount Pictures $2,500 in the Chicago ryf contempt case. Charge of consent decree violations against the other defendants were dismissed. . . . Pressure groups in Washington reported preparing to figrht for the Neely antiblock-bookins: bill's enactment. . . . Copyright Protection Bureau announced that copyright violations in 1940 show a 2 per cent drop. . . . Ross Federal Service* renorted upward trend of biz continuing. . . . Ohio cities consider levying tax on amusements. . . . Loew's cp sh nosition said un $11,000,000 to $28,000,000. . . . Universal ready to purchase its first preferred stock, sending the stock up for a nine-point gain on Thursday. Members Asked to File Their Complaints Based On Actual Experiences National Allied is asking its members to file their protests based on actual experience with the effects of the consent decree to the national organization instead of sending isolated cases to the Department of Justice. In a general bulletin made public at the week-end by General Counsel (Continued on Page 4) Vaudeville Demand In New England Up Boston — Vaudeville, in connection with films, is far from dead, according to Ben Domingo, city manager for RKO, who spoke before students of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As proof, Domingo read advertisements from innumerable tear sheets of New England newspapers. Domingo said that practically all (Continued on Page 6) Kuvkendall Will Speak At Kansas City Conclave Kansas City — Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA prexy; H. M. Richey, Metro exec, and Dave Palfreyman of the MPPDA, are slated to address the one-day convention of the KansasMissouri Theaters Association convention here tomorrow. Convention attention largely will (Continued on Page 6) SCOTT DRIVE FOR FREE PIX Of Course, You've Heard of "Man Bites Dog" Pittsburgh — Most unique Drive ever conducted in this territory has just been inaugurated by Vernon F. Scott, who operates the Scott Circuit of some 20 theaters in Johnstown, Altoona and nearby towns, in celebration of his 20 years as an exhibitor. Scott, with a keen sense of humor, has advised the distributing companies whose product he uses of the (Continued on Page 7) Avoid Dissipation Of Product-Myers At least four of "Big Five" parties to the consent decree, "will try to have two or more groups of five ready by Sept. 1," according to present indications, Abram F. Myers, (Continued on Page 5) Allied Polling Directors On Capital Meeting Date Allied's directors are being polled as to choice of dates for the annual board meeting in Washington. Meeting must be held in January, but the situation is complicated this (Continued on Page 6) New Anti-Trust Laws Urged Suits Would be Tried in Industrial Court Second AID Report Says Flat Rental Prices Are The Same As Last Year With the current selling season in its sixth month, nearly one-third of the required product has not yet been contracted for, according to the second national survey conducted by Allied Information Department. In other words, the report points out, exhibitors still have not bought nationally 32.2 per cent of the amount of product required to run their theaters, based on the total annual feature requirements of all theaters reporting, com (Continued on Page 6) Warner Music Firms Check BMI Strength Breach in the ranks of Ascap publishers may be widened considerably, it was learned Saturday, when it (Continued on Page 5) "Askit Basket" Assailed As Illegal Game in Neb. Lincoln, Neb.— Charging the Nebraska theater is offering a gift enter(Continued on Page 6) Three-Day Santa Fe Bally Launches Warners "Trail" Santa Fe, N. M.— With a festival tradition dating back three centuries as a backdrop, world premiere of Warners' Santa Fe Trail," Errol Flynn-Olivia de Havilland starrer, took place here Saturday at the Lensic, Burro Alley and Paris theaters. Here for the three-day program (Continued on Page 6) Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Federal legislation to provide new machinery for more efficient enforcement of the Sherman and Clayton Acts is recommended to the Temporary National Economic Committee in a report prepared by Walton Hamilton, professor of law, Yale University Law School and adviser to the Anti-trust Division of the Department of Justice, and Miss Irene Till. Report recommends to Congress {Continued on Page 4) "Santa Fe Trail" Entertainment Hit Warners build a railroad, dispose of the fanatical John Brown, present an interesting preamble to the Civil War and deal generally with a considerable amount of Western history in "Santa Fe Trail," highly dramatic saga which had a triple world premiere in Santa Fe, N. M., Saturday night. There is broad and sweeping action on a grandiose scale, romantic interest, a splendid cast to make it live on the screen, skillful direction, opulent production value and an especially interesting part of our own history re-created. Certainly, exhibitors should be happy with this picture as a holiday package. — KENNAHAN