The Film Daily (1940)

'„ l' Hi N IJ 44TH ST Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought MLE COPY DO NOT REMnwr The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Picture* Twenty-Two Yean Old -1FDAIIY VOL. 78. NO. 30 NEW YORK, MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1940 TEN CENTS - * OTH-FOX, PARA., NEAR DECREE DECISION ►ffer Escape Clause Change In Consent Move Para., 20th-Fox Suggest Changes in Articles r and 8 of Consent Decree Attorneys for Paramount and 20th Century-Fox were reported over the H'eek-end to have agreed on an addi|ional paragraph, or amendment, to he escape clause of the consent deree proposals. Also, it was reported, | hanges in wordage were made in articles 7 and 8. Under the escape clause amendment, it was said that the number of liictures required to be leased, belore a motion could be made to vaate the provisions, was reduced from (.Continued on Page 6) ielznkk Calls New lompany a "Shell David 0. Selznick on Friday decribed his new California company, )avid 0. Selznick Productions, Inc., s a "shell" for his future plans. The ew company, he said, does not re■lace Selznick-International. Selznick told The Film Daily by elephone from Cornwall Bridge, 3onn., where he is vacationing, that as immediate plans were uncertain, xcept that he intended to produce (.Continued on Page 6) Tronic James" Gives Roxy fear's Top Opening Biz Twentieth Century-Fox's "The Reurn of Frank James" ran up the Rop opening day gross for the year t the Roxy on Friday, the final tally losing out the "Lillian Russell" fig (Continued on Page 7) Public Relations Expansion by MPPBA Expansion of the MPPDA public relations department to offset adverse publicity against the industry is in work as a result of Coast conferences between Will H. Hays and studio executives. Tentative plan, it is reported, is to have a small crew of traveling public relations men visit newspapers and theater owners as "good-will" envoys. Committees both in Hollywood and New York work closely with studio press departments, according to the reported plan. Editorial Gallup Poll Findings . . . tough going to eliminate duals ====== By CHESTER B. BAHN = IF THE Gallup Poll on double features accurately reflects public sentiment, it is very ' apparent that any industry move to eradicate the evil — and from the trade's economic standpoint, evil it most certainly is — faces the toughest possible going. The national division of sentiment on double features, frankly, is too close for comfort. The tendency, of course, is to emphasis that 57 per cent of those participating in the poll, recently conducted by the American Institute of Public Opinion, are opposed to duals. However, it seems to this columnar commentator that more important still is the fact that, on the basis of two really good features, 66 per cent of those queried by Dr. Gallup's bright young canvassers favored double features. And that, despite the after thought that film goers are convinced the chances of such programs are small indeed, is something to ponder seriously and long. SURPRISING? Not so very much so; after all, for a period of too many years exhibitors have been adding and adding to their shows and in so doing have been training their patrons to expect and accept duals, triples, games, giveaways, premiums and virtually everything save the house's license and the kitchen sink. Of utmost importance, further, is the Gallup finding that major support for duals comes from the younger generation. There are obvious reasons for that. The youngsters are gluttons for entertainment, for one thing, and, for another, with spending money (Continued on Page 10) War Fails to Lower Rubin Cuts Loew Foreign Pix Imports Common Holdings Albany — Despite the war, imports of foreign films for the fiscal year ending June 30 will show only a slight decline from the 458 licensed for exhibition in New York State during the preceding 12 months, according to the Motion Picture Division of the State Education Department. "They still come from France, (Continued on Page 7) Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Disposal of 2,000 shares of Loew's, Inc. common no par value by J. Robert Rubin is reported in the SEC's semi-monthly summary of security transactions and holdings. Following this transaction Rubin holds 25,615 shares of common no par value. Loew's also reports acquiring an additional 30 (Continued on Page 7) 27 States List "Blue Laws' Deleware Proposes to "Strike a Balance" Warner Zone Managers Meeting Here Tomorrow Joseph Bernhard, general manager of Warner Bros. Theaters, will preside over a meeting of zone managers tomorrow in the company's home office. Zone managers attending will include: James Coston, Chicago; Nat Wolf, (Continued on Page 11) Wilmington, Del. — Evidence that "blue laws" grip a majority of states has been gathered by Attorney General James R. Morford in answers from 30 of the 47 attorneys-general to whom he wrote asking their help in evolving "proper legislation which will strike a balance between the principle of the sanctity of the Sab (Continued on Page 11) Both Companies Scheduled To Give Their Decisions To Government Tomorrow Paramount and 20th Century-Fox are expected to give their stand on the consent decree proposals to the Government tomorrow. Twentieth Century-Fox has called a meeting of its board for tomorrow at which time the matter will be up to the directors for their acceptance or rejection. Paramount has indicated that it, too, will define its attitude tomorrow. Neither company had reached a decision at the week-end. Government officials in Washington said they would await word from both companies before studying the de (Continued on Page 10) Exhib. Mass Meeting Plan Said Premature A mass meeting of exhibitors to protest against sections of the proposed consent decree in the Government's equity suit is regarded as premature by Ed Kuykendall, MPTOA president, who had been petitioned to call such a session by Max A. Cohen, head of the New York unit. In a telegram to Cohen, Kuykendall asserted that the tentative de(Continued on Page 11) "Boom Town" Runs Ahead Despite Higher Prices Despite admission price increases, "Boom Town" opened to business far in excess of other top M-G-M grossers in its first four engagements last week, it was reported over the weekend. Under "Boom Town" contracts, price scales were increased 25 per (Continued on Page 6) Base Singles Drive On Gallup Results Chicago — Gallup poll result, announced last week, will be the basis of a single features drive to be inaugurated by Allied Theaters of Illinois. Poll results showed 57 per cent of patrons favored one feature over two on a bill.