The Film Daily (1948)

■im'rmiM/mffl ofin/Bwrn Tffltte Friday, January 16, 194" Ready Now for NATIONAL RELEASE thru Mm Classics, Jnc. Univ. Seeks Decree Exemption I To Claim Right to Continue Practices (Continued from Page 1) any combination or conspiracy, Thomas Turner Cooke, Universal counsel, will maintain its right to continue the practices of price fixing, block booking, maintenance of clearance and franchise deals. In addition, Universal will challenge the Court's authority to set up a system of competitive bidding. The prescribing of administrative regulations for a nontheater-owning distributor which is not a public utility is a usurpation of legislative power and in violation of the Constitution, according to the Universal argument. In the attack on the ban against minimum admissions, the brief will point out that the right to fix prices accrues from the privileges of copyright and that to deny this right would destroy the value of the com pany's residuary interest in r^kim subsequent licenses. arrangements also are derive1 ^roi l , these rights. Although granting that the ternj block-booking has the connotation o conditioning the licensing of one pic ture upon the acceptance of others Universal submits that there is n : evidence of the company's ever hav ing indulged in any such practice but merely licensed that exhibito who was willing to take the greates part of its pictures at a satisfactor; price. The Government will also exj change briefs today with the mem! bers of the "Big Five" — Paramount1 Warners, Loew's, RKO and 20th-Fox $6,000,000 Music Hall Designed (or B'way (Continued from Page 1) Seventh Ave., 51st Street and 52nd Street and situated directly opposite Warners' Hollywood Theater and diagonally opposite the Capitol Theater. Razing and construction are expected to begin in a year. Owner of projected building is Herbert J. Freezer, head of a shirt manufacturing concern, who has concluded a lease with the City Bank Farmers Trust Co., for 90 years. Payment for the first 30 years has been stated as $9,000,000. Structure is listed as 16,000 square feet and assessed at $2,500,000. Theater plans include facilities for large-screen television and will be suitable for either films or legitimate stage performances. As yet no operator has contracted for the operation of the theater. Present occupants of space in the specified area include Brandt's Republic Theater, Roseland Ballroom, offices occupied by theatrical booking agents and retail stores. Designers for the drawing and blueprints were John Sloan Associates, and Edward D. Stone. Brokers Douglas L. Elliman & Co., Inc., Adams & Co., and Real Estate, Inc., handled the negotiations. Representing the lessors were Curtis Bates of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft and counsel for Freezer was Michael Halperin of Wilzin & Halperin with the City Bank Farmers Trust Co., trustees of Moses & Henry R. Taylor estate, owners of the site, represented by R. Baylor Knox, bank vice-president. SAG Members Order Affidavits West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Members of SAG voted overwhelmingly to require all officers, directors and committee members to sign individual affidavits that they are not members of the Communist Party. Walsh Hints IA May Take Over Decorators (Continued from Page 1) of controversy had arisen on occasior between stagehands and decorator? and that their inclusion would accordingly be logical move to removr potential source of conflict. Porter and Melies Films On Way to Acad. Library West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Initial consignment o: 100 early film subjects is enrouti from the Library of Congress to the Academy, Walter Wanger, Academy Foundation chairman, announced Paper prints will be converted t< film under the direction of Howarc Walls, curator of the Academy's filn collection. Among the early motion picture; in the group are a number of Edwii S. Porter's early attempts to tell i story via films, and a group of 5( pictures created by George Melies o: France. All film prints of som<.A' of these subjects are believed to hav* been lost. Duals at Jackson Park Chicago — Faced by a scarcity o:. i top films, Jackson Park Theater verted to dual feature bills this week Dick Salkin, manager, said he hopet . to go back to singles shortly. Join the MARCH OF DIMES JANUARY 15-30