The Film Daily (1945)

10 I3f^ DAILY Wednesday, August 29, 194! U. S. Films in French Agreementl (Continued from Page 1) total might be fixed at 108 as against the minimum of 150 specified in the U. S. -French film agreement of 1936, and the 60 which would result under recent French proposals. Should the 108 total stand, it is understood the eight U. S. majors would be allocated 12 features each, with the independents together getting 12. While this would represent a substantial concession on the part of American distributors, it would serve as a substantial face-saving "victory" for the French negotiators in the De Gaulle party. It is pointed out that if the right pictures were chosen by the U. S. companies for the French market, the revenue from the 108 might well equal or exceed that from the 150 or more which could be distributed there under the old quota agreement. The American companies are pressing additionally for no restrictions on rentals or remittances, and there is hope held that the French will agree. U. S. Distributors Reject French Alternative Offers Three alternative proposals drawn up by French film executives and representatives of the Ministry of Information have been rejected by American motion picture representatives in Paris, the New York Times said yesterday in a wireless report of an interview with Harold L. Smith, associate manager of the MPPDA international department. Proposals were evidently rejected prior to conferences in Washington between Gen. Charles De Gaulle and the State Department in which it was decided that all future negotiations will be between the French and U. S. Governments. As reported in the Times, proposals were: 1. Reserving for French films seven weeks out of every 13 in all cinema houses. '2. The limitation of box-office receipts from the release of all foreign films to 35 per cent of total box-office receipts in French cinemas. During a trial period of six months the num THEATER DEALS Squire Theater Leased A long term lease for the Squire Theater, 44th Street at Eight Ave., commencing Jan. 1, 1946, has been completed with Mac Zipperman and Sam Figler as lessees, it Avas announced yesterday. Extensive improvements and alterations are contemplated. The house is currently being operated by the Siritsky Brothers who recently acquired a lease on Broadway's Ambassador Theater. HOLLYWOOD SPEAKING By RALPH WHK HOLLYWOOD A T Least 10 new cartoon characters, ''* primarily designed for use in educational pictures are being developed by Walter Lantz, the producer. Characters which "click" in these subjects will be transferred to Lantz's "Woody Woodpecker" and "Andy Panda" series released via Universal, in effect, the commercial pictures planned by Lantz will serve as a "proving ground" for characters and ideas in general. As manpower becomes available, Lantz will increase his production staff at his Universal City studio, with the added personnel to concentrate on educational pictures. Architects are already at work on plans for a new studio which will be built adjacent to his present plant. • • Esther Dale, who has an important role in 20th-Fox's "Smoky," has returned from a six-weeks' location trip at Kanab, Utah. CARMEN MIRANDA, just signed by Jack Skirbail-Bruce Manning Productions, to a two picture a year contract, will have as her first assignment, the Oscar Hammerstein ll-Sigmund Romberg musical, "Sunny River," to be filmed in Technicolor for Universal. • • With the first report to Publisher William Cotton of Ideal Publications' New York-Hollywood liaison representative M. W. Nichols, conferences are under way in New York to make Ideal's post-war plans a present reality. To insure closer co-op. between the Ideal Women's Group magazines and the studios. Cotton has taken over a building on Sunset Blvd., established a camera department under Mel Traxel's direction, increased the staff to get more coverage of stars and films and is scheduling new magazines allowable with the easing of the paper shortage. Agree on Increases for Exchange Employes (Continued from Page 1) resentatives of the lATSE and the film companies. Involved were applications for front-office workers in the Washington, Seattle, Portland and San Francisco exchanges and the back-room people in Kansas City, Omaha, Des Moines. Spokesmen for the lATSE and the companies acted under the new order that obviates Government approval where a boost does not affect prices. ber of American films imported would be limited to 36, a figure which might be reduced in the second six months if the total of foreign film box-office receipts exceeded 35 per cent. 3. The imposition of a minimum rental price of 45 per cent of the net receipts of motion picture houses for all foreign films. Under this arrangement American films would again be limited to 36 during a trial period of six months. In addition, under whichever of the three proposals might be adopted, a special tax of 50 per cent or more would be assessed against remittances to the United States in payment for American films, the Times story said. Proceeds of this tax would be used to subsidize the export of French films. Nelson to Consult Gov't, Pic Reps, on French Situation West Coast Bureau of THE FILM VAILY Hollywood — Followinsr a membership meeting of the SIMPP at which the seriousness of the foreign market situation was discussed, it was announced that Donald M. Nelson would fly today to New York and Washington to confer with industry and Government representatives in an attempt to find a solution to the problems confronting the industry in the French and other European markets. Ask Conciliation Service To Intervene in Strike (Continued from Page 1) strike. Ruddy was scheduled to meet with SWG representatives late yesterday but said he could not comment on reports that he would confer with members of the CSU strategy committee and later with the producers in an attempt to bring the various factions together for a meeting tomorrow. A spokesman for the major producers reported that peak production continues at all major studios. With two additional features scheduled to start, 45 films will be before cameras before the end of the week. Ten films wound up shooting in the past two weeks. Richard F. Walsh, lATSE prexy, has issued a new charter to Local 791, studio mechanics, and the members are being signed up to handle the electrical maintenance work formerly performed by members of IBEW Local 40 who are refusing to cross the picket lines. SOPEG Offers Services To Settle Studio Strike The membership of the Screen Office and Professional Employes Guild, CIO, has voted to place the services of the union "at the disposal of the parties involved" in an attempt to help settle the studio strike. The union called upon the employers, the NLRB and the lATSE and the Conference of Studio Unions, the labor groups involved in the jurisdictional dispute, to "forthwith settle the strike." The union said it had acted because the situation "is mutually injurious to all parties concerned and all sections of the industry." GPEC to Pay 25c Div. Directors of General Precision Equipment Corp. yesterday declared a dividend of 25 cents per share on the company's capital stock, payable Sept. 15 to stockholders of record Sept. 7. Schiaifer Resigns 2OII1-F0X Sales Post (Continued from Page 1) of six sales meetings scheduled open tomorrow. A Southern sales division head( by Harry G. Ballance has been adde to the Eastern, Central and Can; dian and Western. All four divisioi will function under William J. Ku]| per, general sales manager. A. '^~ Smith, Jr., will continue as Eastei sales manager. William C. Gehrir will be shifted from Western sal< manager to Central and Canadia sales manager, with Herman Wobbt taking over the former post. Wobbt and Ballance were formerly divisic managers in San Francisco and A lanta, respectively. They will coi tinue to make their headquarters i those cities. Gehring and Smith wi' continue to work out of the horn office. New York, Philadelphia, Pitt; burgh, Washington, Boston, Ne Haven, Albany and Buffalo will com under the Eastern division; Chicag Milwaukee, Detroit, Cincinnat Cleveland, Indianapolis, Des Moine Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas Cit; St. Louis, Toronto, Montreal, Ca' gary, St. John, Vancouver and Wiij nipeg, Central and Canadian div sion; San Francisco, Los Angele: Portland, Seattle, Salt Lake City an Denver, Western division; Atlant; Charlotte, New Orleans, Dallas, 01 lahoma City and Memphis, Souther division. Connors and Gehring will conduc the Des Moines sales meeting, whic will close on Friday. Among other in attendance will be M. A. Levj district manager, and the foUowin branch managers; S. J. Mayer, De Moines; J. S. Cohan, Minneapolii and J. E. Scott, Omaha. MacArthur Stress Fix Jap Surrender Coverage Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILi Washington — Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur is laying unusual emphasis 0 full film, radio and press coverage 0 the surrender conference in Tokyc it was stated here by Lt. Col. H. E Dechero of the War Departmen liaison. He said that more than 20' newsmen are accredited to the in vading forces. Ted Gamble To Build Three Oregon Nahes Portland, Ore. — Ted R. Gamble Enterprises will spend $500,000 for the construction of three steel and concrete nabe houses seating approximately 1,000, Bill Gamble, general manager of the circuit, reported. Gamble will ask for bids early in 1946.