The Film Daily (1948)

:dnesday, May 19, 1948 ^ DAILY ajors To Use Bidding Selected Spots (Continued from Page 1 ) at the high court's decision "pertted competitive negotiations fiere it seems to be the just and fair itiP^.o do." -< rneys for RKO and Loew's are .iaymg the issue with a decision pected sometime this week. A okesman for Paramount said that e company had never engaged in mpetitive bidding per se so that ■ change in policy was necessary. "Paramount will continue to exnine the merits of any request for hibition of its product," the spokesan declared. Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — The Supreme Court ?cisions of this month are not innded to do more than assure indies i "the right to compete," a Departent of Justice spokesman said yes^rday. This means, in effect, that ihile the competitive bidding probsal of the New York court is reacted, competition in bidding for pokings is certainly in order. In a |tuation where an independent exhibitor and a competitive affiliated .ji eater bid for playing rights, the distributor "had better be sure the "dependent has the opportunity to id," the Government official said. IBut neither this decree nor any jther decree can tell what the results f any particular negotiation must j The distributor can award his film p the affiliated theater, it is coneded, "but he had better be pretty '|areful not to shut out the independent." Any practice of awarding films o affiliates for which indies are willpig to meet the terms is certain to e held as prima facia evidence of he continuance of conspiracy to retrain trade, said the Government pokesman. This might result in Larsh contempt of court penalties. The 15-day period for filing of relearing petitions at the Supreme Dourt in the Paramount and other ases passed yesterday with the office f the clerk of the court reporting eceipt of no such petition. The tenor <f the decisions made it plain that he court was not likely to grant such petitions, and the failure of the companies to file was not surprising even hough it had been predicted in some juarters that rehearing petitions vould be filed simply for delay purposes. In the meantime, the Court's manlate to the New York court is still seing awaited. SICK LIST BEN LAMO, assistant manager of the Warner Strand, Hartford, is a patient at the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. COL. H. A. COLE, former National Allied prexy and president of Texas Allied, has his arm in a sling; it's a fracture sustained in Kansas City. Disney-CBS Talking Exclusive TV Pact W est Coast Bur., THE FILM DAILY Hollywood— A deal under which CBS would acquire exclusive television rights to Walt Disney's film productions is being discussed by the producer with Frank Stanton and D. W. Thornburgh of the network, it is learned. Preliminary talks have been held between Thornburgh and Disney in recent weeks, it is understood, with Stanton scheduled to take up the matter while he is here for the NAB convention. Deal, if concluded, would rank as one of the top film-television agreements made thus far. E-L Heineman Sales Drive Starts June 4 (Continued from Page 1) chief, presided at the meeting, and delivered the keynote address. Other company officials who addressed the meeting were Max E. Youngstein, vice-president in charge of advertising, publicity and exploitation; L. "Jack" Schlaifer, Herman Beiersdorf, Sam L. Seidelman, and D. R. Pickard. Also participating were Harry Kosiner sales rep. for Edward Small; John Woolf, joint managing director of GFD, and David Griesdorf, president and general manager of IFD, Eagle Lion's Canadian distrib. Representing the home office were Jerry Pickman, Hal Danson, Leo Brody, Arthur Jeffrey, Harold S. Dunn, J. J. Skelly, Jack Bellman, Joe Sugar, Murray Kaplan, E. Lavenberg, Phil Gettelson, Ed Levy, E. G. Goodman, Harold Roth, Elliott Baron, Lou Falkoff, Frank Heffernan, Pete Lewis, Lige Brien, Herb Steinberg, John Scuoppo and Paul Perez. Sues on "Dunne" Character St. Louis — Matthew L. Davis has filed suit in District Court here seeking $50,000 actual and $250,000 punitive damages from RKO, on the ground that he was damaged through the use of a character, "Matt Davis" in the film, "Fighting Father Dunne." OF COURSE TEIiS, KOOKLY nid IEAVEN sent from UA RKO Dismissed from Bordonaro Verdict (Continued from Page 1) ficient evidence that the advent of Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. into Olean, N. Y. led to any change in RKO's choice of an outlet for its better films. Similar motions by Warners and Paramount to set aside the verdict were not allowed. Verdict handed down in the Bordonaro action called for damages of $28,500, tripled to $85,000, against RKO, Warners and Paramount. Plaintiff alleged the companies conspired to prevent them from obtaining first run pictures for their Palace Theater and favored their competitor, the Haven, operated by Warners. Judge Burke ruled that RKO consistently preferred the Haven, both before and after the theater was acquired by Warners. RKO was represented bv Harry M. Pimstein of the home office legal staff, and Sidney B. Pfeifer of Buffalo. Actor's MP Relief Funds Setting Plans for Fair (Continued from Page 1) other trustees of the charity. Fair will be held in the 71st Infantry Regiment Armory. As one of the preliminary moves, members attending the Actor's Fund annual meeting Friday will see a Technicolor film on the Relief Fund's Home for the Aged and its Country Home Hospital. Hersholt will act as narrator during the screening, designed to acquaint Eastern show people with the work of the Cali fornia organization. Meeting will be held at the Coronet Theater, with the two upper floors of the theater open to the public, without charge. Loew's International in Building Program (Continued from Page 1) elections greatly encouraged business men to go ahead with their plans not only in Italy but elsewhere, reported Burger. Contributing to the success of the Italian Christian Democrats was the timely showing of "Ninotchka,"' asserted Lewis. Communists urged their compatriots to boycott the films. This was enough reason, chimed in Burger, for many Italians to see and enjoy the fun-poking film. General construction activity as well as studio production in Italy is going ahead at full blast, said Lewis, citing several instances of basements and sub-cellars converted into movie places. Loew's International has acquired a theater, renamed the Metro Cristillo. a 1,500seater in Turin. In Naples, a 3.000-seater is being carved out of a mountainside. In Rome, the company is remodelling a villa to house offices and a film exchange. In Padua, another film exchange and office is being built. Besides, new dubbing studios are now being erected in Barcelona, Rome and Paris. A building was recently bought off the Champs Elysees in Paris to house the company's French headquarters and Paris exchange. A new Metro theater is going up in Alexandria, Egypt. Both Lewis and Burger were very enthusiastic about a sevenstory building under construction in Milan. Structure will house five or six companies, general offices, projection rooms, vaults. Business is very good in Belgium, the team reported. Ditto in Switzerland where Loew's receipts are better than last year. Theater Divorcement Will Hike Rentals — Skouras (Continued from Page 1) , query on the subject, Skouras admitted that the advantage of top exploitation and promotion of pictures in the company's own theaters would be lost. "I think your company," he concluded, "while it will be affected from the point of view of theater profits, would receive better film rentals." Raw action . . . twice as terriffic as "T-Men" and made by the same team, is "RAW DEAL." This box-office natural stars Dennis O'Keefe, Marsha Hunt and Claire Trevor. Edward Small produced, Eagle Lion releases.