The Film Daily (1941)

2 I S T F L Z!l W 4 4 T H ST DO NO' Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought i\/i The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Twenty-Two Years Old </OL. 79, NO. 5 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1941 TEN CENTS CONTROL BOARD FOR ARGENTINE INDUSTRY N. Y. May Act to Curb Foreign Propaganda Pix .egislature Opens Today; looth Safety Measure May !e Revived At New Session By M. A. EGAN FILM DAILY Staff Correspondent ! Albany — National Defense will ■rove to be the theme song for New ! fork's state legislative session openhig here today and the theater in ■ ustry will undoubtedly find itself [ rie integral cog here as elsewhere. 1 pecifically, it can be predicted that ; olons will turn their minds to pix 1 iz propaganda disseminated clev ■ rly or clumsily in foreign-made • 1ms distributed and exhibited in few York state. Hence, a move to broaden Censor (Continued on Page 8) IAB Denies Consent lecree Effected Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Although still in exmtive session late last night repremtatives of BMI and the networks let at the NAB headquarters with view toward ironing out the entire msic situation preparatory to an anouncement today, The Film Daily earned last night. Published reports that the two (Continued on Page 4) ohn E. Cowdin, Father )f Universal Exec, Dies Funeral services for John Elliott lowdin, 83, father of J. Cheever owdin, board chairman of Univeral, who died yesterday at Harkness (Continued on Page 8) Batchellor is Namal PRC Production Head George Batchellor has been appointed supervisor of production for Producers Releasing Corp. by 0. Henry Briggs, president. Batchellor formerly was with Republic and more recently produced pictures at the RKO Pathe studios. Aside from this appointment the PRC producing setup remains unchanged. URGE EIRE ADOPT U.K. MONEY PLAN Irish Exhibitors Ask Government Import films Direct from U. S., "Freeze" 50% of Coin Dublin (By Air Mail) — Irish exhibitors are agitating to have the government of Eire import its supply of American pix on the same financial arrangement now existing between England and the U. S. — half the money for the film imports being remitted, the other half to remain in Eire to be taken out in Irish goods or invested in film production in Ireland. Such a proposal has been made by Joseph Stanley, chairman of the Irish Provincial Exhibitors Ass'n which is combining with the Theater Cinema Ass'n into a new Irish Cinema Ass'n. Stanley claims that by importing its U. S. films direct from the U. S., and not through England, half of the 300,000 pounds paid annually to England would remain in Ireland and be a stimulus to production on the island. RKO Sets Formula Mexico Plans For Decree Meets A basic formula for meetings to be conducted in RKO exchanges for the purpose of explaining operations under the consent decree has been obtained as a result of a "laboratory tour" of five branches by William Zimmerman of RKO's legal department. Zimmerman met with (Continued on Page 8) Comptroller, Auditors For Arbitration Setup Appointment of Elbert Morse Wood as comptroller and the firm of Kurz & Kurz as auditors of the motion picture arbitration system (Continued on Page 5) Quota — Pralchell American film industry in Mexico is not faced with any quota requirements or legislation, it was said yesterday by Arthur Pratchett, Paramount's manager for the territory. Pratchett said there had been some talk of a law regulating admission (Continued on Page 7) Theater Men Meet Friday To Plan for Polio Drive Plans for assistance of theaters in the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis fund-drive will be laid Friday morning at the Astor Theater. Meeting is expected to be attended by several hundred home (Continued on Page 6) To Seek Crescent Dismissal Louis Frohlich to Make Motion for Columbia Fewer and Better Films In 1940, Chi. Censor View Chicago — On the basis of product submitted to the Chicago Censor Board, 1940 was marked by fewer and better films, according to Lieut. Harry Costello, the Board's head. Number of theatrical films sub (Continued on Page 5) Dismissal of the Government suit against the "Little Three" and the Crescent Amusement Co. in Nashville, Tenn., will be sought by Louis Frohlich, attorney for Columbia, within the near future, it was learned yesterday. Frohlich may not wait until the Oklahoma City hearing on the "Little Three" application to dismiss the Griffith circuit (Continued on Page 5) U. S. Distribs. and Exhibs. Agree on Plan; Ratification by Theater Ass'n Next By DR. W. P. SCHUCK FILM DAILY Staff Correspondent Buenos Aires (By Cable) — Following lengthy discussions here between U. S. distributing company representatives and the exhibitors association, adjustment of all differences and close co-operation in the future loomed yesterday. It was announced that establishment of a control board has been agreed upon between the two bodies. Final remaining step is official sanction of the exhibitors' organization. The board, which will be composed of three representatives from (Continued on Page 4) $20,000 in Awards Mark Kelly Drive United Artists' Arthur W. Kelly Drive was launched this week in honor of the company's new vicepresident in charge of domestic distribution and involving the entire sales personnel in the United States and Canada. With Jack Schlaifer as drive leader, the drive will continue through (Continued on Page 5) Talk Ways to Stimulate "Land of Liberty" Interest Methods of stimulating interest in "Land of Liberty" were discussed yesterday at an adjourned meeting of the MPPDA board of directors. (Continued on Page 5) King Knights Holme, RKO's British Exec. Randle Holme, chairman of the board of RKO's English company, has been knighted by King George. Sir Randle has been in charge of RKO's London activities since the death of Ralph Hanbury during a raid several months ago.