The Film Daily (1947)

j Z2 Vv. 44th St. 21st floor The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Twenty-Eight Years Old FDAILY VOL 91. NO. 69 NEW YORK. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9. 1947 TEN CENTS R€€D SIGnS TRAD6 PRflCTICCS S6CTI0II STRV 20th-Para. Form Intl IS mm. Distribution Co. Deal Embraces Both Co.'s Libraries; Silverstone, Frankel in Top Posts Official announcement was made by Emanuel D. Silverstone yesterday of the formation of a pew corporation to distribute sub sta n d ar d width films in foreign countries lacking equipment for standard product. The new company will be jointly owned by 20th-Fox Int'l and Paramount Int'l. Yesterday's announcement was forecast in The Film Daily, Sept. 18, 1946, when an exclusive cable report from London disclosed thatr Silverstone would be chief of the new venture. Previously, on July 8, 1946, The Film Daily first published a (Continued on Page 8) E. D. SILVERSTONE Para. Toppers Meet On Decree May 6-9 With much of the decree in the N. Y. equity suit stayed by Supreme Court Justice Reed, Paramount arranged a meeting of executives and theater partners in Arrowhead Springs, Calif., for further discus(Continued on Page 6) Truman Lauds Pix On Ampa Anniversary In a congratulatory letter on Ampa's 30th anniversary, President Truman pointed out that motion pictures are a great force in enlarging the horizons of peoples everywhere and said Ampa's work in bringing to public attention the best efforts of the industry is to be commended. Letter, received by Rutgers Neilson, Ampa president, expressed the President's hope that the organization will have increased opportunity for useful service to the public through the years. SOME MAJORS TO TAKE BIDS? Expected to be Restricted to Certain Areas Only Despite the U. S. Supreme Court stay of the selling provisions of the N. Y. Statutory Court's decree, several companies are likely to inaugurate competitive bidding in certain areas of their own volition, it was learned by The Film Daily last night. Although Justice Reed's action postpones the mandatory selling system ordered by the lower court, at least until final disposition of the anti-trust suit is made by the nation's highest tribunal, there is nothing to prevent any company from adopting a system of auction selling if it so wishes. Any concerted action in this respect by several companies in an attempt to invoke such a selling (Continued on Page 8) To Set Promotional Plans at U-l Meeting Universal International's promotional plans for features to be released in the next four months will be highlighted at a two-day meeting of home office and field reps., opening at the Hotel Astor tomorrow. Gathering is the first of a series to be held three times a year with the second already set for September. Field representatives with headquarters East of the Rockies will attend, (Continued on Page 3) Order Excepts Ban on Franchise and Does Not Apply to 20th-Fox and National Theaters, Aside From Bidding and Arbitration End Provisions By ANDREW H. OLDER Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — The trade practices section of the New York judgment, with the exception of the ban on franchises which is effective this month, have been withheld from execution by Supreme Court Justice Stanley Reed, who late Monday signed a stay order proposed by the distributor defendants and opposed by the Department of Justice. Only exception to the stay order is 20th-Fox and National Theaters, which, on their own motion, are bound by all trade practices sections of the decree except those dealing with competitive bidding and the termination of arbitration. , Thus, any attempt by Fox or Na( Continued on Page 6) Joseph Wolfe Named Treasurer ot NSS Election of Joseph A. Wolfe, comptroller for National Screen Service, to the post of treasurer was announced yester _ day by Herman Robbins, NSS president. Board's s el e c t ion was made Monday. At the same time it was announced that the annual NSS international convention will be held at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, April 17-19. John R. McPherson and Arnold Williams, co managing directors in London, joseph A. wolfe have arrived in the U. S. for the meetings which will be attended by salesmen, branch managers and home office officials. Wolfe joined NSS in 1944 as chief accountant and was named comptroller a year later. He has been with the Federal Treasury Dept. and has broad experience in the fields of accounting, bank examining and business management. UA Sets Deals for Eight Pix Okays Co slow, Small-Young, Gross Ties High Speed Video Film Process Demonstrated Philadelphia — A rapid film developing process, still in the experimental stage and an adaptation of a high speed instrument developed by (Continued on Page 6) UA board members authorized the management to make three deals: 1) with Sam Coslow on long-term contract for a series of five musicals, starring big "names," each film to cost at least $1,500,000; 2) with Edward Small and Robert Young for two high budgeters to be made with( Continued on Page 8) Fla. Tax Enjoined On Discrimination Claim Gainesville, Fla. — Florida State Theaters, a Paramount subsidiary, has succeeded in preventing, at least temporarily, the execution of a recently passed local ordinance here which levied a graduated tax on amusements, including theater admissions. Protesting that the tax was discontinued on Page 6) N. J. Tax Bill Fight to Be Pressed in Senate Trenton, N. J. — Although the tax bill passed by the Assembly here Monday night was an amended version of the original proposals that (Continued on Page 8) Metro's Sales Meet Will Be Held Apr. 28 Despite Justice Reed's stay order, M-G-M will go ahead with its scheduled national sales conference at the Hotel Astor beginning Wednesday, April 28, it was learned yesterday. Sales managers, district managers, branch managers and head bookers will attend the meetings which are set to run at least a week.