The Film Daily (1940)

(/•V DAILY : Wednesday, February 7, 1940 AUSTRALIA WILL NOT RESTRICT PIX MONEY {Continued from Page 1) pansion of home industry and booming employment, is having a favorable box-office effect. A Government subsidy has been granted to Cinesound, Pagewood and Figtree studios to spur picture production, with the possibility that the number of pictures produced will go above last year's total. Additionally, the film industry as a body has pledged the government every cooperation and a series of propaganda pictures, probably shorts, are being planned. These will be made by the industry without cost to the Government and they will be sold to theaters on a rental basis. No limitation on imports is expected, but the Government has classed films in the "C" or non-essential group. South Australia has adopted the building license law now in effect in New South Wales and other states may follow. This would curtail theater building. Tax scale on prints remains at 16 cents per foot on imports, with new two cent per foot tax on imported raw stock in effect. However, newsreels and features produced here get a refund from the Government of the raw stock tax. New Zealand is maintaining its monetary restriction on exports which "freeze" 25 per cent of earnings. No change in the New Zealand law is expected at the present time. RKO Theaters Suit Against Center Music Hall, Inc. {Continued from Page 1) closed terms was revealed yesterday when a stipulation was filed in the Federal Court. Plaintiff had claimed the violation of a contract which provided for exhibition of films for five years. Suit, which was filed in 1936, charged the defendants with exhibiting only 11 pictures in 1935-36 instead of a required minimum of 22. Alliance Set in KC Alliance Films has closed a Kansas City territory franchise deal with W. Lee Norris of the Norris Distributing Co., Kansas City. To Rekindle Romance Niagara Falls — National campaign planned for "Too Many Husbands" swung into action locally when Mayor Ernest Mirrington yesterday issued a proclamation asserting that "too many husbands drop their roles as lovers as soon as the honeymoon is over." He called upon the U. S. generally to rekindle the romance that too many husbands have forgotten about. The Chamber of Commerce is now working on a special campaign, using the same idea, with the City of Niagara Falls as sponsor. A "JUttU" Uo*» "£ols" By RALPH WTLK 4,000 INDIES TO AID FINNISH RELIEF FUND HOLLYWOOD Metro Acquires Properties A/fETRO has acquired rights to the play, "Port of Hope," by Gina Kaus and Ladislaus Fodor, and the original story by Bernadine Fritz on which the play is based. Other property acquisitions embrace "Children's Crusade," an original unpublished story by Robert Thoeran and Fritz Rotter, and the story "Old Lady 31," by Mary Louise Foster, and the two stage dramatizations, by Jeanette Wade and Rachel Crothers. Y Y ▼ Old Tunes In "The Westerner" Popular tunes of the '80's to be re-introduced by Sam Goldwyn's "The Westerner," will include "Portland Fancies," "Varsovienne," "My Beautiful Creole Belle," "Tenting Tonight," "While Strolling Through the Park One Day," "Come Home Father" and "Are You Going To the Ball This Evening?" Y ▼ Y Para. Plans Unique Musical Planned by Para, as one of the unusual musical films of. 1940, "Interlochen," the story of the famed National Musical Camp for Young America at Interlochen, Mich., will be produced and directed by Andrew Stone with Allan Jones and Susanna Foster as leads. T T T Mono. Sets "Covered Wagon Days" "Covered Wagon Days," starring Jack Randall, will go into production at the Monogram Studios on Feb. 19. Harry Webb will produce. Y Y Y Spencer as Eli Yale? With biographical features taking a strong hold on the public's ordinarily flighty fancy, Clarence Brown, on completing direction of M-G-M's "Edison, The Man," may turn to the life of Elihu Yale, after whom the famed institution of learning was named, for his next directorial assignment. Spencer Tracy may star. ▼ T T Four Studios Seek Del Ruth Now that his contract with 20th Century-Fox is completed, four different studios are bidding for the services of Roy Del Ruth. They are M-G-M, Paramount, RKO and Universal. T T T Churchill's Novel as Film? Edward Sutherland and Edward Churchill, studio "flack," have been in a huddle over the latter's novel, "Wings To The Sun," which Sutherland believes will make an excel lent motion picture. T T T 58 Stars, Players at Warners New Warner studio roster shows a total of 58 stars and featured players under term contracts. Working for the studio are 41 writers and 12 directors under contract. Gloria Theater Denied Writ in Suit Against Randforce {Continued from Page 1) distributors — 20th-Fox, Warners, Paramount, Universal and UA — and others with restraint of trade. The court, denying the motion, pointed out an immediate trial of the case is possible and that therefore there was no reason for a temporary writ. No date for the trial has been set. The plaintiff complains that Randforce conspired with the other defendants to book all first-run pictures into the Clinton theater, which was recently constructed as a competitor to the Gloria. Randforce acquired the Clinton from William Yost, it is claimed. Recently, the plaintiff alleges, it has been forced to run only re-issues and old releases, resulting in a $200 loss weekly. The defendants categoric. Uly deny all charges. Leroy, Gutman & Goldbe. represent the plaintiff. R. P. Rassmussen Dead Chicago — Robert P. Rassmussen, 50, president of the Economy Equipment Co. (air conditioning), is dead. Ticket Resale, Bingo Bills Hoppered in N. Y. Legislature {Continued from Page 1) sale of theater and amusement admission tickets to include every corporation, individual, telegraph company and telephone company reselling or engaging in the business of reselling tickets of admission or through money orders exchangeable for tickets. It is a companion measure of Senator William S. Condon's proposal introduced in the Senate Monday. A third Bingo legalization bill was hoppered yesterday bv Senator McCall of New York which would put licensing and issuance of permits up to municipalities. The game would be limited to religious or charitable groups, with license fees not to exceed $100 a year in communities over 300,000, lower scales prevailing for smaller cities. It also limits prizes to merchandise or personal property, forbidding cash awards. "Swanee River" Held In Ky. Cincinnati— 20th Fox's "Swanee River," is a holdover throughout Kentucky, including smaller towns. Business is exceptional in Paris, Richmond, Lexington, Maysville and Carrolton, Ky. {Continued from Page 1) national chairman of the Fund's motion picture division. Fund collections will be m/' in the theaters on Feb. 17-18. W jby solicitation is planned, with the solicitors to be provided wherever possible by Scandinavian organizations. Vincent G. Hart is national director for Major Thompson's division. Enlistment of exhibs. for Finnish relief marks the second time that the industry has co-operated with Hoover in relief work. In 1920-21, millions were raised to feed Europe's starving children. Robert Stack, who appeared opposite Deanna Durbin in Universal's "First Love," will be a guest of honor tonight at the Finnish Relief Fund supper dance at the WaldorfAstoria. Detroit — Industry's Finnish Relief Fund Committee has been organized for Detroit with William Carlson, chairman; Tom McGuire, executive chairman; Jack Hurford, publicity; Earl Hudson, financial secretary; Pearl M. Sprott, secretary; C. C. Perry and Dan J. Lewis, arrangements. Equity, SAG, AFRA To Co-op On "One Big Union" Scheme {Continued from Page 1) dicated at a session of SAG's board of directors which was attended by representatives of Equity and AFRA. Walter Abel, Lucille Gleason and Noel Madison, with Paul Harvey and Boris Karloff as alternates, were appointed to confer with Kenneth Thomson of SAG, Emily Holt and George Heller of AFRA, and Walter Greaza of Equity regarding one big union, the reorganization of AGVA and to report back to the board. Thomson has been suggested to take temporary charge of AGVA affairs and it is believed that if sufficient pressure is brought to bear upon him by all groups in the 4 A's interested that he will not refuse the post. The SAG board would have to okay his leave of absence. The Guild board may support a proposed television contract which has already been ratified by other 4A groups. Under the agreement, television contracts will be prepared by a committee consisting of three representatives of the Guild, Equity and AFRA and will be approved by the board of directors of each organization. Or Do They? Weedsport, N. Y. — Truth in advertising. The following double feature program played at the Weedsport last week: "These Clamour Girls" "Tell No Tales."