The Film Daily (1948)

Wednesday, January 14, 1948 3fe Construction Control Extension Fought (Continued from Page 1) teJlxped^ -; authority to determine .-hen wjjrtage of building material Bufeists Ifn3 to require in such instance Id a permit as a condition of constructi;Qg any building or facilities to be sed for amusement or recreational urposes." ;V Many exhibitors planning new ::? heaters or remodeling existing £ ouses are up in arms over the new ::; roposal and a movement is now :: nder way to force deletion of this discriminatory" clause from the r ill. Letters are being dispatched to During the six-months' period * rom July 1, 1947, through Jan. 2, * 948, the office of the Housing Ex ■ editor approved construction or reair of a total of 302 theaters for a alue of $11,436,131. During the ► ame period, OHE rejected 806 thea « =r applications having a value of : 40,290,500. lembers of the House Committee on ■ .anking and Currency, now weigh:" ig the bill, and to Congressional ?presentatives of those affected by :; le proposed law. * It is pointed out by these sources lat an insignificant portion of the -Materials used in theater construction are involved in housing, since Wj le chief components of the former Jjfre structural steel and concrete. The _7J:eed for additional theater facilities -n many communities with a popula::T!on swollen by postwar migrations LT great and to deny showmen the ■privilege of adding to their seating 'T-ipacities when necessary, it is con■'■nded, is not only unfair and un:;asonable, but deprives the masses ;e: people of an important source of -^lucation and entertainment. MM POSTS Legal Points in Scophony Case Held "Night-Marish' MA Schedules Nine for CVinter, Spring Release (Continued from Page 1) ::s inter and spring are: "A Miracle -Jan Happen," "Sleep My Love," "So his Is New York," "They Passed A 'his Way," "Atlantis," "Intrigue," :■ Red River," "The Time of Your to , ife," "Laff-Time" and "The Angry a od." Now being edited for distribu$■ on this year are "Mad Wednesday," v'endetta." Currently in production /e "The Pitfall" and "Outpost in -] [j orocco." Shooting starts next week i "Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven." BUFORD STYLES, U-l office manager, Atlanta, Ga. HY VILINSKY, Skouras Circuit stock room, New York City. IRWIN NOYER, assistant manager, Covent, Chicago. MAX MEADOWS, Eagle Lion salesman, Indianapolis. J. DeROSE, assistant manager, Harding Theater, Chicago. HAL KARIGER, country sales, Screen Guild, Chicago. WALTON HAMILTON, manager, State, Newton, S. C. WILLIAM HARTMAN, Great States city manager, Kewanee, III. R. VALENTINE, assistant manager, State, Chicago. SAM IRVIN, manager, Darlington Theater, Darlington, S. C. Fairbanks To Produce NBC Video Films (Continued from Page 1) pected here between Jan. 19 and 22, Pegler said last night. The films, to be produced on NBC's order, will be made primarily for television showing and will incorporate special film techniques developed by Fanrbanks for tele. The net will specify the types of films desired and will acquire all distribution rights. Fairbanks will be responsible for production under NBC's general supervision. An experienced staff will be maintained in New York for story and production conferences. Patterned after radio's usual format, the video pix will be designed ■ to play individually or serially. An "open end" technique will be used, allowing space for the sponsor's message at the beginning and end of programs. The agreement closely follows NBC's recent announcement of plans to establish a coast to coast television network. NBC already operates a four-city East Coast network and will establish a new regional network in Chicago as well as one in Hollywood. (Continued from Page 1) the New York District Court that Scophony, Ltd., was not within its jurisdiction. The statutes involved, said Frankfurter at one point, are "nightmarish" in their intricacy. Blair at one point held that even though his client was "transacting business" in New York, that did not necessarily mean it was "doing business." Blair referred to established precedent in support of his point. Scophony, Ltd., was party to two 1942 agreements with Scophony Corp. of America and other defendants in the Government suit. It had already discharged its obligations under the "master" agreement of 1942, Blair pointed out, and was still performing its obligations under a second agreement at the time the Government filed its case. These obligations consisted of sending technical information to Scophony Corp. of America, and sending 10 per cent of its net revenues from sale or rental of Scophony equipment in the Eastern hemisphere to SCA. Blair maintained that these are insufficient basis for a finding that the company is within the New York jurisdiction. Scophony, Ltd., he insisted, is primarily a manufacturing concern rather than a holding company or an investment house. E-L Plans 60 Pix For Release in '48 Suggests Goldwyn Could Break U. K. Tax Deadlock EDDIDG BELLS Tersmeden-Niven London (By Cable) — David Niven ill be married today to Mrs. Tjordis srsmeden, formerly of Stockholm, hey will sail for the U. S. Saturday 1 the S. S. Queen Elizabeth with iven's two children. His first wife ed in a Hollywood fall. (Continued from Page 1) to the 75 per cent Whitehall-Washington tax impasse, Hodgson said: "A vast impenetrable black cloud of hopelessness seems to stretch everywhere. The present position amounts to a poker game with both players convinced they hold the master hand. "I've always nursed an idea ever since this battle was launched that there's one man who could find a settlement which would have both sides smiling and swopping drinks. I believe that, given full negotiating powers by Hollywood, Old Uncle Sam Goldwyn, for all his malapropism, could do a deal with Harold Wilson and Sir Stafford Cripps." 20th-Fox Sets Up 15-Zone Chicago Releasing Plan (Continued from Page 1) abandoned in its sole discretion, was pointed out by the company. Under the plan, comparable houses in each of the 15 zones will be offered 20th-Fox product on a competitive negotiative basis, as distinguished from the bidding method outlined in the N. Y. Equity suit decree. Under this system, it was . pointed out, it will be possible for a 1 picture to play 15 day-and-date runs following a two-week first-run Loop showing. Clearances of Loop runs will vary, 1 it was said, probably ranging from ! about eight days up to three weeks, depending upon the deal negotiated. I There will be no clearance between J zones, but theaters will enjoy clearance over other houses in a zone. When a picture is sold for first subsequent run in a zone, company will | open negotiations for following sub| sequent runs with the remaining theaters in that zone. | New plan will become effective with "Kenyon" on Jan. 30 and the "Castile" offering will be available one week later. Allied theaters called a special meeting of members to discuss the situation and there is much agitation by both independents and circuits over 20th-Fox's plan. Attorney Thomas McConnell is also studying plan, as it might affect the Jackson Park decree. (Continued from Page 1) fact that it celebrates only the first anniversary of its entry into distribution tomorrow, is a source for pictures of all types. Heading the year's product list is a top-budgeted bracket that is expected to contain 21 features that will be budgeted at more than $1,000,000 each. Already completed in this category are "T-Men," "The Adventures of Casanova," "The Man From Texas," "Northwest Stampede," "The Noose Hangs High," "Prelude to Night," "Mickey" and "Corkscrew Alley" plus three from J. Arthur Rank — "The Smugglers," "Take My Life" and "October Man." Other high budgeters on the schedule include "Bastille," "Tulsa," "Lady Pirate" and "The Blank Wall" from Walter Wanger, three to five more from Rank, plus "The Hollow Triumph," "Let's Live a Little" and "The Spiritualist." Company will release 23-30 pix as exploitation specials. These will be tested in about six key spots before being assigned to rental bracket and prior to promotion budget allocation Already in the can from this group are "Heading For Heaven," "Enchanted Valley," "Linda Be Good," "Assigned to Danger," "The Cobra Strikes," "Open Secret," "Close-Up" and "Rampage." Approximately half of these features will be made by outside producers. Eight Westerns and six lowbudgeters complete the 1948 program. Better Vitacolor Claimed In Development Program (Continued from Page 1) Warne, new president, in revealing a complete reorganization, including a new board of directors and an entire change of management, of Hollywood Colorfilm Corp. Increased capacity is now possible, Warne stated, due to the additional equipment installed. Photographic method now employed is said to be essentially the same as for other bipack processes, except for a claimed extended color range and increased latitude and gradation. Vitacolor employs three primary colors in making prints, and solution controls are described as almost entirely automatic. In addition to 35 mm color, company is equipped for reduction of color film from 35 to 16 mm, and enlargement from 16 to 35 mm as well as 16 mm Kodaehrome processing, and recording for 16 mm sound. Othsr new officers of the company are H. R. O'Neil, Jr., vice-president, and Roy W. Burton, secretary-treasurer. New board includes Warne, O'Neil, Burton, B. A. Bannan, C. Harold Caulfield, Eugene Durand and William A. Aboussleman.