The Film Daily (1940)

THE Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought LE Cc The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Twenty-Two Years Old FDAILY VOL. 78, NO. 127 NEW YORK. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31. 1940 TEN CENTS MEEHAN K-A-0 STOCK, OPTIONS TO ATLAS • Happy New Year! * • Happy New Year! • • Happy New Year!* Para, to Draft Simplified Decree Selling System Assignment Goes to 'Tat" Scollard, Named Executive Assistant to Neil Agnew C. J. "Pat" Scollard yestei'day was named executive assistant to Neil F. Agnew, vice-president in charge of sales for Paramount. Scollard for the last two years has been affiliated with Paramount in various capacities, recently as contact between the sales and advertising departments. Scollard's specific function will be to work out a plan of operation under the consent decree. Being an efficiency expert, he will be assigned the task of formulating a simplified system of selling under the new requirements. He starts his new duties on Monday. • Happy New Year! • Close Havana Houses As Result of Decree Havana (By Air Mail) — Continuing their fight for repeal or amendment of the anti-block-booking decree, a delegation of exhibitors and distributors have submitted a further petition to Dr. Jose T. Onate, Minister of Commerce, revealing that first-run houses in Havana are start (Continited on Page 6) * Happy New Year! • Expect Argentina's Ban On "Dictator" to Stand Buenos Aires (By Cable) — Despite general condemnation by press and public of the Italian-inspired ban on "The Great Dictator," scheduled for a triple premiere here Jan. 2, edict (Continued on Page 6) Monogram in First Tune Tie-up With BMI West Coast Bur., THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — First film to be exploited musically by BMI will be Monogram's "Her First Romance." Arrangement calls for published sheet music, special disc recordings, orchestrations, etc. Tunes are "Love is Life" and "Star of Love," by Gregory Stone and S. Charles Caine. NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF 1940 THE NEW YORK EQUITY SUIT, insofar as the "Big Five" are concerned, ends with a consent decree, plus rules of arbitration, despite intense exhibitor opposition. The "Little Three" decline to sign, elect to fight on. II INDUSTRY ARBITRATION MACHINERY takes shape, with former Federal Judge Van Vechten Veeder designated as chairman of the Appeals Board. The American Arbitration Association appoints necessary committees, etc. Ill ON THE LEGISLATIVE FRONT, the House of Representatives, by Commerce Committee action, dooms the Neely anti-block booking measure which had passed the Senate. Federal divorcement legislation is introduced in the Senate, makes no progress. IV THE WAR continues to further shrink industry overseas revenues as spreading hostilities see a total of 11 countries closed to American films. The domestic market, improving, and operating economies largely offset losses abroad. (Continued on Page 4) Paramount Defines Employe Relations West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Paramount, in a move without precedent in studio history, has addressed a statement setting forth in detail its industrial relations policies to its 2,750 employes here. Statement fills an eight-page pamphlet, which carries a preface by Y. Frank Freeman. Emphasis is on the mutuality of problems relating to individual earnings, safety, working conditions, (Continued on Page 6) Newsreels to Offset Radiocasfers' Lure Toledo — Designed specifically to meet the competition of radio news broadcasts, policy of Wally Caldwell's new 900-seat Esquire calls for the showing of what is claimed to be the longest news sequence shown anywhere in Ohio. Caldwell has contracted for four reels which he will edit for continuity and to eliminate duplicate shots. Caldwell reasons that most of the radio news is broadcast during early (Continued on Page 6) Broadway Biz Boom Continues "Philadelphia Story", "Neighbor" Scoring Brandt Drops Hepburn From "B. O. Poison" List Harry Brandt, who once branded Katharine Hepburn as being "boxoffice poison," yesterday scratched her name off the list as reports came in on the record-breaking business of her new picture, "The Philadelphia Story." In a statement yesterday, Brandt (Continued on Page 6) Holiday business continued to boom along Broadway yesterday. Long lines at the Music Hall for the fifth consecutive day pointed to the possibility of an all-time record for the week, while a four-day record already has been established by "The Philadelphia Story." In four days the picture brought in 110,168 patrons. The Paramount winds up its second week of "Love Thy Neighbor" (Continued on Page 6) Had Been Sought by Both R-K-O and Rockefellers; Subject to Voting Trust Atlas Corp. yesterday announced that it had purchased a portion of M. J. Meehan's holdings of Keith-Albee-Orpheum preferred stock with an option on the remaining shares. Previously it had been reported that Meehan's holdings were being sought as well by both the Rockefeller interests and RKO. Stock purchased is subject to the terms of a voting trust whereby representatives of Meehan will ex (Continued on Page 6) • Happy New Year! * Hayman Asks MPTOA Rochester Conclave Charley Hayman, MPTOA leader j in Buffalo, is trying to get the or1 ganization's convention to Rochester, even though all indications point to a West Coast conclave. It is re-j ported that Hayman is exerting' (Continued on Page 6) • Happy New Year! • Rudy Vallee Enters Automatic Projector Field West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY] Hollywood — Rudy Vallee has en-i tered the automatic projector field as president of Vis-o-graph Corp. of America. The new company plans (Continued on Page 6) Tele In IVew? Yorher Early In New Year Installation by RCA of its television theater screen and equipment in the New Yorker Theater is expected to be completed within the next few weeks. No definite date has been set yet for the first demonstration, but it is expected to take place within the next two months. Number of new improvements are claimed for the RCA system, said to enlarge pictures without loss of definition.