The Film Daily (1945)

TW DAILY Wednesday, February 7, 19; Advantages Seen In Single State Code (Continued from Page 1) the State exclusive of New York City, with latter continuing to have its own municipal regulations, some film theater operators, dominantly those having outlets in both areas, are apparently wondering if the twocode setup isn't heading them into future complications. One of the surprising facts of the sampling is that numerous New York exhibitors express themselves as welcoming a strict code if it is applicable to the five boroughs. With a code that is subject to flexible interpretation, it is said, the theaterman never knows where he stands, and is constantly at the mercy of discretionary powers vested in inspectors and others charged with enforcement. A local circuit spokesman frankly stated yesterday that loose phrasing and high generalizations in codes, whether the single or double standard is applied within the State, make it possible for "an ornery inspector to find multiple violations in the most meticulously operated theater." Most showmen, he feels, might unthinkingly condemn a strict code, but would come, in time, to realize that benefits would outweigh any initial expense and headaches. Iowa Solon Considering State Film Exchange Tax (Continued from Page 1) the state. Long said he felt the film companies could "well afford" to pay taxes on the profits they take out of the state. Earlier he said he planned to introduce a bill to make the fim exchanges pay an annual license of $1,000 and a $1 a reel tax on all film brought into the state. He ran into some difficulty, however, in trying to find a method to prevent the tax being passed on in the form of higher admission prices. Wants USO to Stay After War Continuance of the USO for at least two years after the war as an aid to hospitalized service men and to all military personnel striving to negotiate the switch back to civilian life was urged yesterday by Chester I. Barnard, president of the organization, at a fourth anniversary lun^ cheon at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel,; STORK REPORTS Leonide Moguy, director, has a new daughter, born to iVIrs. Moguy at the Hollywood Hospital, January 31. Baby weighed seven-and-a-half pounds, and will be named Katherine Helen. Theater Man Victim Of Wrong Boohing St. Louis— Local police are too efficient, says Joseph Ansell, viceprexy and treasurer of Ansell Brcs. Theaters. At 3 a.m. in swirling snow and bitter cold, he was driving homeward from the police station in his auto which had been stolen two days earlier. His thoughts of a warm bed were interrupted by a police car's siren. Blue-coated occupants gruffly ordered him to the curb. They arrested him on suspicion of having stolen the auto, which was, of course, his own. Ansell cleared himself at Police Headquarters, but got home only in time to shave, breakfast, and hurry to his office. Ben Freedman is Named Toronto Council Prexy (Continued from Page 1) closed the year with an active membership of 50 indepenf^ent exhibitors in Ontario. The special speaker was John Grierson of the Canadian Government National Film Board who touched on the post-war program of the bureau. No statement was issued regarding the proposed national conciliation code of the industry in Canada, as urged by the Independents' Council. The incoming executive would deal with the question, it was announced. New Officers include: Vice-President, Bruce McLeod, Kitchener; Secretary, Harry Romberg, Toronto; Treasurer, Harry Lester, Toronto; Public Relations Counsel, Garson Solway, Toronto; Directors, Max Starkman, Lou Davidson and Herman Bennett, Toronto. Song Suit Dismissal Will Be Sought by 20th-Fox Twentieth Century-Fox will move for dismissal of the suit charging unfair competition and infringement brought against the company by Maude Nugent, songwriter, on the ground that there is no genuine issue as to material facts, according to papers filed in New York Federal Court yesterday. The motion is to be heard on Feb. 20. The plaintiff alleges that her song, "Sweet Rosie O'Grady," was infringed upon in the film of the same name. Affidavits filed yesterday by Leo Jaffe, assistant treasurer of 20thFox, and Herman Starr, president of Music Publishers Holding Corp., asserted that in 1925 the song was sold and assigned to Columbia Pictures, which they claim is the rightful owner of the tune. Austrian Says Television Is Up to Manufacturers Defer Geneseo Hearing Chicago— Arbitration case of the Geheseo Theater, owned by the MarcTiessi Brothers has been postponed for a week for the entry of a consent award by Arbitrator Leo T. Norville. (Continued from Page 1) vision Press Club of New York at the Hotel Sheraton. In reiterating his conviction that films will prove the backbone of audio-video entertainment, Austrian said that creation by manufacturers of programs on film which would be made available to all their dealers on a free or co-operative basis was the "one sure way" to help provide the necessary program material to justify the commercialization of the science. "One great advantage of having these programs on film," he said, "is that it Iwill assure both the dealer and th^ manufacturer of perfect lighting;, acting, timing and transmission. There can be no mistakes, miscues, n^ unfortunate incidents whiph would ^hurt the reputation of the merchandise. By means of programs on filn^, all that is necessary to know about program production is how to load up a motion picture projector." Another speaker was James Lawrence Fly, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, who predicted that five years after the war television would move to the broader band making possible the use of color. He was certain that eventually it would be possible to have a single set providing frequency-modulation broadcasting, amplitude-modulation broadcasting and television. Fly said that many frequencies were expected to be made available for newcomers and for experimentation purposes. The speaker urged establishment of an adequate world-wide system of communications, including television, as an instrument to promote good-will for the United States and "to strengthen the world structure." Make-up of the club's new board of governors was announced as follows: Stanley Kempner of Fairchild Publications, chairman; Lewis Winner of Communications, vice-chairman; Elizabeth Forsling of News Week, secretary; Clifford Denton of the Daily News, treasurer; Ben Kaufman of the Hollywood Reporter, chairman of the membership committee; Tom R. Kennedy of the Times, chairman of publicity committee; Wanda Marvin, The Billboard; Patricia Murray, Printer's Ink; Bruce Roberts, Broadcasting Magazine; M. H. Shapiro, Radio Daily. Scophony Head Approves "Box Office" for Television Recent statement of J. J. Nance, vice-president of Zenith Radio Corp., that he believed the best way to create a; "box-office" for television was to introduce a "subscription system" whereby those sets equipped with a "scramljling device" would receive the television program, was fully endorsed yesterday by Arthur Levey, president of Scophony Corporation of America. Levey last fall revealed that Scophony was surveying the possibility Three Vital Bills Face Mass. Exhibs. (Continued from Page 1) heard by a House committee on Fi 15. A Senate taxation committee ' day will hear a proposal for an,« hibitor tax of $1 per reel proyid the exhibitor shall not increase 1 admission price. The revenue rived would finance disabled V( erans of all wars, aid widows a orphans of deceased veterans a go toward the old agef assistar law. / / Another petition wjU be present to the mercantile affairs comm tee tomorrow prohibiting an exhil tor from charging a greater adm: sion price on Sundays and holida than on other days, subject to a fi of $500 for violation. \ I 1 i Files Arbitration Appeal Chicago— R. J. Miller of the Ci ony Theater, McHenry, 111., filed appeal in his arbitration case agair five film distributors, B & K, Gre States Circuit, Woodstock Amus: ment Co., and the Eltover Theat' Corp. The case was recently d: missed by Arbitrator William M Swain. Show Pic on Plane Carrier Chicago — The U. S., Navy in c operation with 20th Century-F held a press premiere of "Fightii Lady" aboard the plane carrier Sab The commanding officer hosted t press to chow aboard the ship. of creating a "box-office" for tel vision and considers this method providing an additional source of re enue for major film distribute; Levey stated that subscription rad utilizing the exclusive Scophoi "scrambling" device registered the U. S. Patent Office, is the inve tion of Dr. A. H. Rosenthal, en nent physicist, and director of i search for Scophony and would e' able the television broadcaster to a, curately gauge the size of his au( ence. "Scophony believes subscripts radio probably will prove a substa tial factor in solving television's ec nomic problem," said Levey, "ai we are contemplating supplying su scribers with the latest improvi model of the Scophony home televi ion receiver successfully demo strated in London in 1939 and whi actually shows a picture 24" x 2 in size comparable to 16 mm. hon motion pictures, upon payment of small installation charge, plus weekly inclusive fee of $2.25, whi wotild enable subscribers to amorti the cost of the set in about two yeai "The Scophony subscription tel vision plan envisages an audience at least 1,000,000 within a few yea after post-war and at 50 cents week, a subscribed fee of $500,01 or an annual revenue of $26,000,01 for the program service alone."