The Film Daily (1947)

wi rifu DAILY Tuesday, December 23, 194 High Court Will Hear Oral Argument Feb. 9 (Continued from Page 1) copy in order to comply with the court schedule. Government and distributor briefs thus become due Jan. 19. The Court announced yesterday also that it has agreed to accept amicus curiae briefs from SIMPP and CIEA. Both these briefs were filed with the Court earlier this month and have been described in earlier issues of The Film Daily. Both were filed with the consent of the Department of Justice but not of the distributors. Columbia filed its brief yesterday while United Artists, who also was scheduled to file yesterday did not, it was learned, because postponement granted the Justice Dept. by the Court afforded them more time to prepare the brief. Belgian Industrialist Plans Pic on Peter Minuit JVest Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Belgian industrialist, Rene Gordon, has formed Nova Belgica Film Industry, Inc., having at his command a capital of 150,000,000 francs. New company Ijegins with "The Great Love of Jehan Minut," a historical tale of the family Peter Minuit, who founded New York, and bought Manhattan Island from the Indians for twenty-four dollars. Leonide Moguy, who directed the international award winning film "Prisons Without Bars" will co-produce and direct. Charles Spaak, wrriter and brother of the Belgian Premier, will write the dialogue. Moguy, who has returned to the United States, will make an offer to American studios for an English version to be made at the same time picture will be filmed in April, 1948. Sohmer Replaces Beier David M. Sohmer has been appointed manager of Screen Guild's New York exchange, replacing Nat Beier resigned, it was announced by Arthur Greenblatt, Eastern sales exec. Sohmer was formerly New York sales manager for Eagle Lion. Miss Freeman Joins Weill Jules Weill, president of Masterpiece Prods., 45 W. 45th St., has announced the appointment of Ruth Freeman, formerly UA exchange statistician, to the post of office manager at the home office. 1^ Ljrettlnai ^ o~ i% J.: :.: It Dec. 23 P. D. Cochrane Herman Pincus John Cromwell James Roosevelt Leon Lee L. Strampfer Jean Brooks ">^ PHIL M. DALY Tuesday's Tattlings • • • IF MARY PICKFORD only would say the right word, UA would get that financing pronto. ... • Don't be surprised if DOS also makes a deal which will assure him the Don Jacocks' Boston Astor as a Hub showcase If your memory needs refreshing, SG recently acquired a piece of the house. ... • Mebbe Santa Claus should give Bob Benjamin a flying carpet for Christmas The proxy of the TARO, Inc., just back from London huddles with Br'r Rank, planed to the Coast yesterday to confer with Universal-Int'l and Eagle Lion toppers on future production and distribution plans. ... • Paramount was in the process of making a few minor changes yesterday in its Supreme Court equity suit brief. ... • TESMA has told both the State and Commerce Dept's what it thinks about that Canadian embargo on theater equipment Which is plenty! ... • Tricolore's "Panic" and Columbia's "Glamour Girl" have been given Class B ratings by the national Legion of Decency. ... • You have the word of Nate T. Blumberg for it that U-I is not talking a distribution deal with Enterprise So that's that, despite those rumors. r r r • • • DIDJA READ that ad in the N. Y. Herald Tribune Sunday for a "highest type business executive" to assume the presidency of a film producing company now being formed? To qualify, all you gotta have besides integrity and business ability is $50,000 cash to invest! ... • Sam (Metro) Eckman has come up with a helluva good ad tag line for Leo's re-issues in Britain, "They're Bigger Hits Without the Blitz." ... • All St. Louis film exchanges have pulled their salesmen off the road until after New Year's. ... • Film biz is very good in Oak Ridge, Tenn., you can take it from G. B. Odium, who operates Uncle Sam's five theaters on the atomic reservation Odium, north for the holidays, reports the Ridge, Grove, Center and Jefferson, plus the seasonal Skyway when operating, all thriving Top price is 48 cents Bookings are as timely as those in nearby Knoxville. T T ▼ » • • IT DIDN'T TAKE the TOA's board chairman, Fred Wehrenberg, very long to applaud Andy Smith's decision to send out "Captain from Castile" at regular prices Wehrenberg telegraphed Spyros P. Skouras his Congrats, and added, "You are very courageous." . . . • Technicolor is reported asking exhibs. to avoid such phrases as "in Technicolor" or "in glorious Technicolor," and further to avoid using a single color for "Techni" and other colors for "color" in lobby displays The reason: Continuous common use of the word, "Technicolor" in a descriptive or generic sense could result in the Technicolor corporation losing its rights to the word as registered trademark Any method splitting the word makes the second half descriptive and jeopardizes Technicolor's rights. • • • COME 1948, the Better Films Council of Greater St. Louis will monthly select what it regards as the best western of the month. . . . • Having borrowed Guy Madison from David O. Selznick and Diana Lynn from Para, as leads for his "Texas, Heaven and Brooklyn," Eddie Golden is now negotiating with a major studio to borrow a director If all goes well, the cameras will grind in January.. ... • That was a really swell Christmas party NBC tossed for the press at "21" yesterday Niles Trammell, Frank E. Mullen and Syd Eiges did the honors royally. ▼ ▼ ▼ UWF Will Offer Over 300 Shorts For Video t (Continued from Page 1) 26 British-made features will made available for tele use, provide that U-I, Prestige and Eagle Lion di cide not to distribute these .film UWF spokesman emphasize^ whatever British features are^^Cre for video are those which ordinari! would not be shown in the U. S. Ai other drawback, he pointed out, 1 the showing of Anglo pix here v: tele is Petrillo's ukase against the ui of music in video programs. But sine British films are involved, possibilil still exists that Universal's agrei ment with the AFM would not appl; Also, UWF would be selling tl product and not the parent compan; U-I. St. Paul 5% Tax Defeat Seen When City Votes (Continued from Page 1) that the petition calling for a re: erendum on the tax on all St. Paii amusements contained more vali signatures than required, the councj will advise that the tax may not t collected. Attorneys Joseph Finley, MacoJ and Stan Kane, NCA, predict the ta measure will be defeated by voter' pointing to heavy number signin' petition. Less than half the 19,00 petitions filed were checked by tli city clerk before advising the Counc that more than enough signature had been found legal. Canadian Steel Import Ban Effective on Feb. 1 (Continued from Page 1) date import permits will be issue only for essential construction. Move, coupled with the previoi^ ban on theater equipment import! puts a finish to all further theate construction projects in the Domiri ion, as import permits will not h issued for theater, office and servic buildings. CHARTERED THEATER EQUIPMENT CO., Charlotte, N. C capital stock, $50,000; by R. C. Saunders, Lew Saunders, W. E. Saunders. UNITEL OF CALIFORNIA, INC., Los Angele certified to New York Secretary of State that will do business in New York. PRESIDENT FILMS, INC., New York; capita $25,000 in $100 shares; to distribute films; Bens diet Brucia, David Getz, Helen Shapiro, direc tors. FILMS FOR THE FAMILY, INC., New Yorl capital, $100,000 in $5 shares; to deal in film by Milton E. Friedland, Julia Cresuolo, Charic Speer. F. S. C. INTERNATIONAL CORP., New Yorl capital, $20,000 in $100 shares; to deal in film by Elaine Henno, Alban Mestanza, H. Albc Mestanza, Eugenia G. Henno. FORMONT CORP., New York; capital, 200 r par shares; to produce films; by Arthur Steve Ford, Mary E. Ford, Robert L. Montgomery.