The Film Daily (1947)

M. F. Production Dist. 28 Vj. 44th St. 21st floor New York N. Y. itimate in Character iternational in Scope idependent in Thought r The Daily Newspaper Oi Motion Picture* TwentY-Eight Years Old -IFDAILY' ), NO. 127 NEW YORK. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31. 1946 TEN CENTS •pnCRCSS TBflPt PACT HCLP WITBL TO PiK ^9 Film Arbiiration Cases Filed During Year idvance of 17 Over 1945; \ of Awards Handed Down Uring Year Favor Exhibs. Forty-nine demands for arbitrain were filed in the various motion Cture tribunals during the fiscal kr ended Dec. 1, 1946, an increase 17 over the preceding year when complaints were placed in the tket. tThe increase of the past year rey-ses the trend toward less com.{lints which had established itself tring the first four years of arbi(ConHnued on Page 7) — Happy New Yearl — rust Enfonemenl leeds $s For Teeth ashington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Great results from ti-trust enforcemeai activities jst be dependent largely upon ineased funds for the Federal enrcement agencies, a special subramittee of the House Small Busiss Committee reported yesterday. A staff report issued by Rep. Estes (Continued on Page 4) — Happy New Year! — ^,94L000 in Retroactive sy Going to lA Members NEW OPERATING POLICY FOR PARA. Mid-Eastern and Western Sales Divisions to Operate from Field Bases as Reagan Tests Plan ?st Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Retroactive pay totally $9,941,000 is going forward to 'Out 15,000 members of lATSE. (Continued on Page 4) $350,000 Tax Slash Obtained by Warners Settlement of the Warners' Fed[| eral tax accounts for the fiscal years F; 1934 to 1940 with the exception of those relating to a few subsidiary companies has resulted in a net reduction of $350,000 in estimated provision for taxes for the year ended Aug. 31, 1946, the company's latest financial statement discloses. These settlements were made in the past fiscal year, with the returns for the years from 1941 still to be settled with the Treasury. Transfer of the operation of two of Paramount's four divisions, MidEastern and Western, to the field, on an experimental basis, effective immediately, was announced yesterday by Charles M. Reagan, viceprexy in charge of distribution. Reagan, who described the \ changes in oper i ating policies as a further step in the development of an over-all plan to maintain the closest possible contact with Para, accounts, said that if they work CHAS. M. REAGAN successfully, the new plan will be expanded and the new operation made permanent. Hereafter, Earle Sweigert, MidEastern sales manager, whose division comprises the Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Washington branches, will base in Philadelphia. George Smith, sales manager of the Western division, will operate from Los Angeles, comprising these branches: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Salt Lake, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis and Des Moines. The Eastern and Southern division, under Hugh Owen, and the Central division, under James Donohue, will continue to operate through the home office. Reagan also announced a re( Continued on Page 7) Detroit Carriers Strilce Tlirealens Detroit — Strike of film carriers in Cinema Service and Exhibitors Service, handling prints for all city and metropolitan area houses, is threatened today, when present contracts with truck drivers union run out. There have been discussions in the past two weeks, but sentiment of (Continued on Page 6) Materials Sliortage May Limit Building Washington Bureau, of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Revision of materials supply estimates by some Government experts have taken the edge off predictions of a 1947 boom in commercial construction, it was indicated yesterday. These experts, mostly from the (Continued on Page 7) MPEA Operates in 12 Countries Deals with Yugoslavs, Bulgars Pending SRO Planning Offices In Four More Cities With SRO already set in 10 cities, additional offices are reported planned in Milwaukee, Detroit, Minneapolis and St. Louis, it was reported yesterday. Selznick representatives denied a (Continued on Page 6) The Motion Picture Export Association since it began operations last May of this year, has concluded deals and begun operations in an even dozen of the countries originally announced in its joint marketing agreement with the major companies. The exception is the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Already a sizeable staff is in the (Continued on Page 7) Failure to Hold Foreign Markets Would Result in Industry's Retrenchment By MANNING CLAGETT Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Future of the U. S. motion picture industry in the international market during the critical year ahead lies in the dubious hands of the new Congress. With the firm backing of the State Department now clearly established, the picture industry must look to the Republican-controlled Congress for legislative assurance that American films will not be frozen out of important foreign markets. Shorn of all political implica(Continued on Page 4) — Happy New Year! — H. Y. Film Critics Pick "Best Years" Samuel Goldwyn's "The Best Years of Our Lives" was selected as the best film of 1946 yesterday by the New York Film Critics, and William Wyler, who directed that pic, Celia Johnson, for her performance in "Brief Encounter," and Laurence Olivier, for his interpretation of (Continued on Page 6) — Happy New Year! — SMPE Convention Opens In Chicago on April 15 Chicago — Semi-annual convention of the SMPE will open at the Drake Hotel here on April 15, with the Midwest section hosting the conclave. Section, which has 600 mem(Continued on Page 6) Associated British, Jachson Deal Closed London (By Cable) — Lou Jackson continues as chief producer for British National under the deal which he has just finalized with Associated British. Associated takes over AngloAmerican, thus getting all British National pictures. Anglo-American distribution continues unchanged. tE^o tije €nttre 3nbu6trj>: ^ ?|appp anb l^rosperous! 1947! lis