The Film Daily (1945)

Monday, August 20, 1945 13 FCC io Discuss Pix Place in Television (Continued from Page 1) ng opinions will be the extent of FCC authority to determine the fitness of an applicant for a adio license who is primarily enl^aged in some business other than proadcasting. The majority includng Chairman Paul Porter and Comnissioners Denny, Jett and Wills iloes not believe the FCC has such luthority but has determined that he question shall be referred to Congress. Commissioners Durr, Walker and Wakefield in the min■irity concur in the references to Congress, but believe the FCC has he necessary authority and should lave refused to approve the Crosley 'eal. Would Limit the Field Minority feeling is that although xisting licensees who are primrily engaged in some other busiess should not be forced to give up leir FCC authority, (for tele, FM r AM broadcast) no newcomers ,'hose primary business is not broadasting should be permitted in the eld. In the case of large industrial 'oncerns, they say, it is probably that he facilities would be used for proaganda for these businesses. One member of the minority who 'as willing to discuss the matter ith this reporter Friday said that is preliminary thinking on the sublet tended to convince him that film ompanies should not be considered 1 a class with steel firms, or other idustrial concerns. He is inclined ) think, he said, that a pix company, hose primary business is entertainlent might be permitted to acquire M, AM or tele facilities and be exected to operate in the public inn-est. lorth Central Allied Appoints Green Counsel Minneapolis — Appointment of •ving Green as general counsel for orth Central Allied is announced V Ben Berger, president of the asjciation. A former Major in the AF, Green was discharged recently fter three and a half years service. THEATER DEALS bright Buys the Nolan Monroe City, Mo.— 0. L. Wright, vner-manager of the 400-seat Monle Theater has purchased the 300;at Nolan Theater here from W. M. clan. Irs. Swan Sells to Tones Linn, Mo. — Ben Jones, who oper;es a local theater, on Aug. 31, will uce over the house in Perry, owned id operated by Mrs. Thelma Swan. he Perry, Mo., house is a 300-seater. Sees Screen Time tor UK Pix Normal Solution to Problem Sure--Maj. Baker (Continued from Page 1) visiting British exec, in the absence on the Coast of Will H. Hays. The latter, in a telegram of greetings, read by Milliken, pledged "our best efforts to develop mutual understanding to the end that the maximum immeasurable service of motion pictures may be realized." Presenting the speaker "as a partner in the greater task that lies ahead of us," Milliken warned that "we have won the war but we have not yet won the war of ideas." ' Three "Normal Grounds" Major Baker enumerated as "normal grounds," the right kind of pictures, due application of the law of supply and demand and, thirdly, "sympathy and understanding on the part of people who control the screens in America." Describing" himself as unique in that he had come "neither to buy nor sell, nor to bellyache or complain," the head of the British distributors organization scored a laugh bull's-eye by also assuring' that he had not come over "to finish off the Arthur Rank tinfinished symphony," and that, further, his visit was wholly xuirelated to the Selzniek-Riink deal. Major Baker's informal talk was largely devoted to the war's impact upon Britain. He told his attentive audience of industry toppers that the ordinary man and woman in Britain had emerg'ed from the war with a different viewpoint, that they were more politically conscious and that they qualified as "realists and thinkers." He stressed that American executives visiting Britain could not "get to know the eountr.v and its people" by mortng in the accustomed pre-war orbit. Brlti.sli Attendance Otf Tlie box-office trend in Britain, he said, was already down and he expressed the opinion that it would go further. War-time profits, it was stated, gave a fictitious aspect. During the war years, he pointed out. Britain's millions "were tied by the leg to the cinema." Turning to Anglo-American film relations. Major Baker declared that he felt the several million American GI's who had trained or had been stationed in Britain "would want to hear things about England on the screen." Only a relatively small percentage of U. S. screen time would be required, he added, to accommodate "those films which are worthy of it." The British maximum, it was indicated, could not exceed 25 per cent. Emphasizing that Britain and America have so much in common, the visitor asserted. "Between us, we have a job to fulfill, you as the senior partner, we as the junior partner. It is for us to show the world, through the medium of our pictures, what life more or less should be like." Guests at Luncheon In addition to those already mentioned, in attendance were: Roger Albright, Capt. Harold Auten, Chester B. Bahn, Barney Balaban, Samuel Berger, L. A. Bonn, George Borthwick, Jack Cohn, Alfred Croft, Al Daff, Arthur H. DeBra, W. J. German, Paul Graetz, Eugene F. Gregg, Earle W. Hammons, Kenneth Hargreaves, Francis S. Harmon. Robert K. Hawkinson, Ben Henry. James M. Jerauld, Sherwin Kane, Maurice Kann ; also — Col. Jock Lawrence, Charles E, Lewis, Frank Leyendecker, Karl G. MacDonald, Wm. C. Michel, Thomas Mulrooney, Robert H, O'Brien, Terry Ramsaye, N, Peter Rathvon, ■Philip R. Reisman. Norton V. Ritchey, Leo F. Samuels. George J. Schaefcr. Abe Schneider, Ben Katifman, Harry Schroeder, Jack Segal, Joseph H. Seidelman, Murray Silverstone. Walter L. Titus, Jr., George Weltner, and Michael P. Wear. Executives See New Color Process OWI-WAC Releases Run Till Year's End (Continued from Page 1) tory in which the film was processed is in the hands of the Russians in Prague. It is understood that an ordinary black and white camera was used to make the film which was produced by Ufa in 1942. American industry executives are said to be interested in the process if its utilization is not too expensive. RKO Sets September As Circuit 'Victory Month' "RKO's Victory Parade of Hits" will be observed in RKO theaters during September to "mark the return of happier days," the circuit announced yesterday. The "victory parade" will consist of a number of top attractions to play the RKO houses in the New York Metropolitan area. Local mayors, borough presidents. Chambers of Commerce, merchants associations, schools and other organizations have been invited to co-operate in a month of special activity emphasizing the beginning of a "new era of good will." (Continued from Page 1) months more to live under present legislation. Releases include a number of subjects concentrating on I'ehabilitation and the readaptation of vets to peace time living. Among these are "What Every Veteran Should Know," on the various benefits and employment preferences to which veterans are entitled and "When He Comes Home," directed to the families and friends of home-coming veterans. The Eighth War Loan caravan will be filmed as planned, as will a special Treasury short on the importance patriotically speaking and the advantage, personally speaking, in holding on to War Bonds, as there is considerable fear that many War Bonds will be cashed in during the period of demobilization and reconversion. Mary Faber Dead Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Mary Faber, 55, former character actress and social secretary of the Catholic Actor's Guild in New Yoi'k, died here last week of injuries received in an automobile accident. British Survey Seen Aiding Its Product (Continued from Page 1) American and world markets, has created intense interest along local Film Row, particularly in view of the fact that the findings of the correspondent for The Financial News closely coincide with the conclusions arrived at by J. Arthur Rank, British film magnate, regarding the future position of British product in the U. S., and, indeed, wherever that product is in competition with Hollywood films. The three articles, under the byline of Michael Smiley, are respectively titled, "British Films as Americans See Them," "How to Sell British Films in America," and "Television and the U. S. Film Industry." Observers here view the survey as blazing the way for the rapid abandonment of outmoded British attitudes toward Hollywood pictures and American merchandising methods, and the probable advent of a new school of British thought in producing and vending its own films. Opinion is expressed that the articles, if their contents are heeded, will go far toward creating coincidence of the British film trade with that of America. Among comments here is that made by Samuel Cohen, foreign publicity director for United Artists, in a letter to 0. M. Smilovici, director of foreign services for The Financial News. Cohen asserted, in praising the survey findings, that "it has taken 10 years, a World War, and a man of Rank's stature" to bring British producers around to the present course, and also declared that "Once British producers stop blaming America's alleged lack of reciprocity and start finding fault with their own lack of showmanship, they will have hurdled their gi"eatest psychological obstacle to doing business in the free and open market where quality of product is the only yardstick of box-office success." Film men here recall that as far back as 1935, while visiting London, Cohen authored an article in the Kinematograph Weekly, titled "S.O.S., An Appeal and a Warning to British Producers," and this contained pointed suggestions toward resolving the problem of British pictures in the U. S. Ray Chadwick Dies Peoria, 111.— H. Ray Chadwick, 36, manager of the Lawford and Havana theaters at Havana, died at the home of his parents, after a long illness. UlEDDinC BELLS Amedo-Mello Des Plaines, 111.— John R. Mello, recently discharged from the Army and now a theater manager here, will be married shoi-tly to Frances Amedeo.