The Film Daily (1939)

TTTT-TJ 2H W 44TH ST Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought do not rem©vp: The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Twenty-One Years Old VOL. 76. NO. 6 NEW YORK, TUESDAY. JULY 11. 1939 TEN CENTS Warners Planning Five British Multiple Quota Films RADICALBERNE CONVENTlN CHANGES, MPPDA GOAL Mary Pickford Returns With British Production Plans Tele and Pix . . . think it over -By CHESTER B. BAHN ||F ever there was an industry problem that " called for the best thought all the way round, it's that which has to do with film availability for television. Two of the majors — Metro, through Sam Eckman, U. K. sales chief, and 20th CenturyFox, through Herman Wobber, general manager of distribution — have definitely indicated they will not permit their pictures to be telecast; whether all other majors will similarly turn a cold shoulder to television, however, is by no means assured. Paramount, for instance, has an application pending with the FCC for a Coast experimental station, a further move in line with its alliance with DuMont. On the other hand, RKO Radio recently advised New Jersey Allied in reply to a squawk that its "efforts to understand and keep abreast of I developments in the field of television are I toward the end of protecting and co-ordinating our joint interests," and that the I telecasts of a "Gunga Din" trailer were | merely "an experiment with a new medium of exploitation for feature product." The Bat" to be Her First; May Do "Dorothy Vernon" in Hollywood Facilities of Alexander Korda's organization at Denham will be utilized shortly after the first of the year by Mary Pickford, who expects, she revealed upon her arrival from Europe yesterday, to produce in England her personally owned property, "The Bat," one of the most successful in the long list of erstwhile Broadway stage thrillers. This film, according to plans which have already taken definite shape, will, she said, carry an ade (Continned on Page 4) SCANDINAVIA TURKS AGAINST U. S. "BY Yale Hears Arnold Will Leave D of J New Haven — Thurman Arnold, generally regarded as the sparkplug of the Gove rnment's anti-trust drive against the film industry, will leave his post as Assistant Attorney General "within the year," it was a u thoritatively reported in Yale University circles here yesterday. Arnold will resign to resume as professor of law in Yale's Law School, if not when college tcTthe s'eco'na THURMAN ARNOLD semester, it was said. Latter starts in February, next. A ND Warners, with a toehold in television ** via Transamerican, still more recently disposed of its holdings in that company, thus presumably indicating a narrowing of its interests to films. Yet these disclosures of varying company policy by no means solve the problem, witness the fact that NBC's weekly tele programs include feature films leased from indie distributors and that deals for still more such product are in the course of negotiation. What has transpired to date in this connection clearly establishes that anything approaching a united industry front on pix availability for television is out of the question and that if some companies, to protect exhibitor interests, withhold films, others propose to supply them if there is a continuing market. o INDEED, it is not inconceivable that eventu' ally there will develop a wholly new branch of this industry devoted to the production and marketing of films tailored to {Continued on Page 2) Popularity of quality French product in the Scandinavian countries is causing the "freezing out" of U. S. "B" pix in those lands, it was asserted yesterday by Arthur Hornblow, Paramount producer, as he (Continued on Page 6) Quebec Theaters Reopen After 5 Weeks' Tax "Strike" Quebec — Closed for five weeks owing to the 10 per cent amusement tax imposed by the City Council, 11 (Continued on Page 6) CAPRA AND RISKIN WILL FORM OWN GO, West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Frank Capra yesterday announced that he and Robert Riskin will organize their own producing company, to be known as Frank Capra Productions. Incorporation papers will be filed immediately but no release outlet has (Continued on Page 6) Warners to Reduce British Quickies, Make Strong Multiple Quota Features AFA Mismanagement Trial Will Be Continued Today AFA mismanagement trial by the AAAA continues today, despite the walkout yesterday by Sophie Tucker, Ralph Whitehead and Abraham Hal (Continued on Page 4) By GEORGE H. MORRIS FILM DAILY Staff Writer Warners' 1939-40 British lineup at Teddington, as opposed to the quantity schedule of 24 to 26 features made primarily for quota requirements during the past year, will comprise far fewer but much (Continued on Page 4) Kilroe Sailing to Conduct Copyright Sentiment Survey in Europe Edwin P. Kilroe, representing the MPPDA's copyright committee sails tomorrow on the Normandie to make a survey of European sentiment with reference to the conference to be held in Brussels in the Spring of 1940 to amend the Berne Convention. Kilroe will confer with foreign office officials in London, Paris, Brussels and Berne to ascertain the probabilities of having radical changes made in the Berne Convention at the Brussels Conference. "There is a feeling abroad as well as here that the Convention should be revised so that the rights (Continued on Paae 6) NEELYEXPECTSACTION ON HIS BILL THIS WEEK Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Denying published reports that his block-booking bill would be held over until the next session, Senator Matthew M. Neely told The Film Daily yesterday the measure would definitely come up this session and would be acted on (Continued on Page 6) Sales Managers to Resume Clearance Talks Tomorrow Major company's sales heads met yesterday for the purpose of considering changes in the clearance phases of the proposed trade practice code. (Continued on Paae 6) No WA Prexy No election of a president of UA is contemplated as far as she knows, Mary Pickford asserted yesterday on her return from Europe. She added that if the post were offered to her she would "decline with thanks," as UA owners are "delighted with Murray Silverstone," and the executive setup is to remain in status quo.