The Film Daily (1946)

"a*s? Thursday, July 18, 194£ Allied Opposed to Auction jelling Plan (Continued from Page 1) with Robert L. Wright, special assistant to the Attorney General, in charge of the Government's case. "The only way to correct the erroneous features of the decision," Myers told The Film Daily, "is to appeal from the court's unprecedented remedy of auction selling." Stating that details of the decision "are not an issue" Myers called for an "all in or all out" decision on the auction plan. Noting the "most amazing lapse" between sections of the court's decision, Myers decried the "conflict that rages between the court's findings on trade practices and the loosely written features at the end." D of J Told of Objections Myers termed the executive committee's meeting with Wright "informal" but stated that the Department of Justice had been informed of Allied objections to the auction features of the decision. Myers declined to reveal Allied's stand on other phases of the decision until approval by the organization's board of directors. The executive committee met here in a two-day conclave and adopted a "tentative" policy pending the board's approval. The board will be informed of the policy by mail and in case of dispute, the questions will be submitted to the board at its next regular meeting in Boston on Sept. 14-15 — two days befor the annual convention. Myers revealed Allied's stand on the auction features of the equity decision prior to the board's approval "because of the widespread exhibitor interest in the decision." He said it was plain that the court should have called for the "traditional remedy of divestiture and dissolution." Blames Decision for Pix Dearth Myers blamed the "dearth" of feature films on much of the confusion and uncertainty resulting from the decision. He said it would be different if there were enough films to go around, noting that there are on the average from 100 to 150 less feature films today than 25 years ago. He said "without a doubt" dissolution would bring more pictures into the market. Discussing OWMR dealing with ATA on an exclusive basis, Myers said the Government had been the victim of a "terrific bluff" and had been "sold a load of fish" by ATA. Noting that ATA represents a "small minority" of theaters throughout the country, Myers doubted that NEW POSTS MICHAEL FERINAC, manager, Associated Theaters, Flint, Mich. FRED E. BUCKHOUT, manager. Rouge, River Rouge, Mich. Holly woodVine Yard :By RALPH WILZ; IVest Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY CTUDIO news digest: Samuel Goldwyn lias loaned David Niven to Sir Alexander Korda for "Bonnie Prince Charlie," which Edward Black will produce in England for British Lion-London Films Charles Coburn has been inked by International for "Bloomer Girl" John Steinbeck's "Cannery Row" is the object of much discussion between the author and Eagle-Lion, which hopes to produce a screen version Monogram's "One Way Street" has been retitied, "Dead End Street'. .. .Janet Blair will co-star with Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey in the forthcoming, "The Fabulous Dorseys' Buddy Rogers and Ralph Cohn of Comet Prods, have signed Richard Martin for the lead in "The Adventures of Don Coyote" Henry Hull and John Qualen are latest additions to "A Miracle Can Happen," the Bogeaus-Mere dith pix Linda Darnell has left the cast of Twentieth-Fcx's "1 Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" M-G-M will star Jane Powell in "The Birds and the Bees," with Joe Pasternak producing Para, has acquired the rights to "Sainted Sisters of Sandy Creek," short story and play, and will make it under the title "Sainted Sisters" That lot has added Willard Robertson to "My Favorite Brunette" Latest additions to Seymour Nebenzal's "The Chase" are: Margie Dean, Lillian Marshall and Karl Hans Ludwig Robert Barrat goes into Sol M. Wurtzel's "Dangerous Millions" Warners have lined up a tip-top cast for "Need For Each Other," headed by Joan Crawford, Errol Flynn and Jane Wyman Same studio has put Erskine Sanford and Grif Barnett into "Possessed" Universal has signed Arthur Treacher for "Flame of Tripoli," which stars George Brent and Yvonne De Carlo Katherine Emory has joined the Enterprise "Arch of Triumph" cast Spring Byington and Charles Winninger go into M-G-M's "Life's For the Loving," as Marie McDonald's mother and father Boros Morros and William LeBaron of Federal Films have signed Martha O'Driscoll, William Prince and Frank McHugh, among others, for "Carnegie Hall" Columbia has acquired Daun Kennedy and Bob Shaw as leads for the new Sam Katzman serial, "Son of the Guardsman" That lot has added Peggy Converse to "My Empty Heart" Henry Busse and Charlie Barnett are the latest entrants for "The Fabulous Dorseys," which will have UA release Alexis Smith will co-star with Dennis Morgan in Warners' "My Wild Irish Rose," based on the life of Chauncey Olcott Cliff (Ukelele Ike) Edwards, the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney's "Pinoc chio," will create the voice again for Disney's "Fun and Fancy Free" RKO has cast Jane Greer in "They Won't Believe Me," and Lex Barker in "Trail Street" Macdonald Carey, featured in Paramount's "Suddenly It's Spring," and Tad Van Brunt are organizing a U. S. Marine Reserve Officers Club in Hollywood. The club, would include such former U. S. Marines as Tyrone Power, Glenn Ford, Sterling Hayden and Louis Hayward. ATA could "delivery the goods" even if approval is given to a Government film. He said the Government should deal either directly with distributors or with representatives of all exhibitor groups. "If the Government has a meritorious film it shouldn't have any difficulty in getting it shown, but the Government was the victim of a terrific bluff put over by ATA." Welcome Suggestions Myers said Wright did not commit himself on future plans of the Government. He did, however, Myers said, "welcome" the suggestions of all exhibitor and other groups. Wright said the suggestions could be submitted then changed if further information became available any time up to Sept. 15. The executive committee included Myers, President Jack Kirsch, Col. ! H. A. Cole, M. A. Rosenberg, Sidney j E. Samuelson, Martin G. M. Smith, ' and Nathan Yamins. All visited Wright at the Department of Justice. Myers also revealed that a committee composed of Samuelson and Irvin Dolling had been set up to formulate business details of the forthcoming convention in Boston. Another exhibitor group will meet today with the Department of Justice officials when MPTOA's executive committee confers with Wright and Assistant Attorney General Wendell Berge. "Claudia-David" Tradeshow Twentieth-Fox will screen "Claudia and David" for the trade in all exchange centers on July 22, the only exceptions being New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Des Moines, where the showing will be on July 23, and Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, where the date will be July 24. U. K. Quota, Spanish ^ Imports Up at MPEA (Continued from Page 1) lems was discussed at the session, with particular emphasis placed, it was reported, upon the U. S. position with respect to the British q^.^ioi deliberations on which are in cor liminary stages in that country, although no changes will be effective one way or another until 1948; and anticipated extension of proposals by Spain regarding importation of U. S. films; and the other chief question mark of the moment in continental Europe — the knotty Holland problem. Spanish Talks in September? In Spain, officialdom at this time of the year is devoted generally to vacations. Consequently the Government there is not expected to reenter negotiations with MPEA representatives untU some time in September. Plans are reported "building up" for renewal of talks with Netherland authorities in order to break the impasse existing between the Bioscoop Bund and MPEA. It is reliably reported that U. S. pix are in Holland from a purely literal standpoint, but have no exhibition status until an agreement is reached. By "in Holland" is meant that the end of the port strike in Rotterdam has enabled the MPEA to remove from shipboard and transport to the Association's ofiices an impressive batch of Holljnvood features. These are contained in some 72 cases, and are the productions of a number of members of the Export Association. The films have been tied-up in the strike proceedings since early May. !■ !5| "Command Performance" Co-operation Continues West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Hollywood Co-ordinating Committee has renewed its commitment with the Armed Forces Radio Service, George Murphy, president, announced. Pact expired this month but the committee has pledged itself to continue to provide talent for the weekly "Command Performance" and for dramatic troop information programs. Start of long-featured individual AFRS programs also are continued under the agreement. Murphy noted that fan mail has increased since the war ended and that the AFRS station in Frankfurt gets 10,000 letters a week. BonH Extend % Deals Mich. Allied Urges Detroit — Jack Stewart, new general manager of Allied Theaters of Michigan, in opposing the increased film prices and percentage terms, has issued a plea to independent exhibitors generally to refuse to extend the percentage practice, regardless of distributor pressure, at their theaters.