The Film Daily (1948)

FILE COPY O NOT REMOVES Intimate in Character |] International in Scope Independent in Thought The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Twenty-Nine Years Old FDAILY rOL. 93, NO. 14 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1948 TEN CENTS HJHIISTOn CALLS HGROSTO EmERGEIKV PflRLEV Court Restricts Contempt Plea to Suit Party -Jew Salinas Turned Down n Application to Cite :0th-Fox, Nat'l Theaters , Ruling that only parties in the rovernment's anti-trust suit may ring application to cite for contempt if the decree in that action, Federal udge John Bright yesterday turned own New Salinas Theaters Corp., in :s motion to cite 20th-Fox and Naional Theaters. New Salinas, operator of the Continued on Page 31 $900,000 Trust Suit Hits Chi. Distributors 22 Exhibitor Leaders Accept State Posts For WCJ's American Brotherhood Week Twenty-two exhibitor leaders have accepted invitations to serve as state and territorial chairmen for American Brotherhood Week, sponsored by the NCCJ it was announced yesterday by Harry Brandt, national exhibitor chairman. With their areas, they are: Robert J. Peratovich, Jr., Alaska; William E. Malin. Arkansas; I. J. Hoffman, Connecticut; Charles Niles, Iowa: Elmer C. Rhoden. Kansas: Guthrie Crows. Kentucky: E. V. Richards. Jr., Louisiana: I. M. Rappaport and Louis Gaertner. Maryland: Ted Bolnick. Minnesota: Arthur Lehmann, Mississippi; Harry C. Arthur, Jr., Missouri: Niel Morrison. New Hampshire; Milas L. Hurley. New Mexico; Edward Lachman, New Jersey; M. Lowenstein, Oklahoma; Ernesto Rufino. Phillippines; Ramos Ccbian. Puerto Rico; Tracy Barham. Utah; Frank A. Venette. Vermont; William F. Crockett. Virginia; and Harold J. Fitzgerald. Wisconsin. Chicago — A 8900,000 treble dam. are anti-trust suit was filed yesteray for Saul Meltzer, owner of Melro Amusement Co., operators of .iivoli Theater, and Pix Amusement ,'o., operating Rockne theater, by ', ttorneys John Marzall and Lloyd Continued on Page 61 75% Tax Slated For New Eastman Color Parliamentary Attack Still Experimental Gov't Officials Expected To Sit in on 2-Day Meet Covering Foreign Problems MPAA president Eric Johnston has called an emergency, two-day meeting with company heads to deal with the critical foreign situation, it was learned yesterday. The important confab has been tentatively set for Jan. 29-30 in the Washington offices of MPAA. It is expected that top Government officials may sit in on the meeting. Other Federal officials will be contacted during the two-day meeting. Although the confab was tagged as "an "emergency" meeting, it was not expected that there will be any break in the British impasse. This question, however, will be discussed as will other foreign problems. Also set for a thorough discussion 'Continued on Page 7' Taradine" Sales Policy To Be Set at Meetings ', Sales policy for the forthcoming :iational release of David O. SelzIdck's production of Alfred Hitchlock's "The Paradine Case" will be ormulated at a divisional sales aeeting tomorrow and Friday, Neil I Continued on Page 6' London (By Cable)— Critics of the confiscatory 75 per cent duty imposed upon American and other film imports are expected to unlimber their heaviest verbal artillery today when the new Films Act (quota measure) comes up for debate on the second reading. Tom O'Brien, general secretary of the NATKE, member of the TUC General Council and one of British 'Continued on Page 7) Rochester — Trade reports, current for some time, that Eastman Kodak was nearly ready to introduce a new 35 mm color process which -would materially affect the Hollywood scene brought this authorized statement yesterday from company officials: '"For a long time our research scientists have been working to develop new processes in the field of color 1 Continued on Page 7' Warners "Robin Hood' As Reissue in March Warners, which during the past 10 months has found re-issues paying off like a jackpot, yesterday added another to its hand-picked list — "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Pic will go out March 13. with a New York playdate at the Strand along with a "name" band. Since last April, when WB experimented successfully with "The Sea Hawk" and "The Sea Wolf as a combo, company has brought back "Marked Woman" and "Dust Be My Destiny." "Bad Man of Missouri" and "Each Dawn I Die," "Jezebel" and "Slight Case of Murder" and "Anthony Adverse." I 2 House Measures Would ! Cut Ticket Tax in Half I Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Rep. Gordon L. McDonough. Republican from the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, yesterday called upon the House to lower ' the admissions tax to its prewar Continued on Page 31 Cramblet Upped to Head UA Midwestern District Ralph Cramblet, veteran UA Minneapolis branch manager, has been promoted to the post of Midwestern district manager, J. J. Unger, general sales chief announced yesterday. Cramblet has been associated with Continued on Page 31 Thomas Will Make 22 for E-L Forms Equity Productions With Three No Drop in B. O. Pull of Outdoor Action Pix — Pine Outdoor action films have proven to be a consistent money-maker for exhibitors and their popularity with audiences throughout the nation has never waned, William Pine, co-producer with William Thomas of "AlfContinued on Page 71 West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Harry H. Thomas, who stepped down from the presidency of PRC with its absorption by Eagle Lion, has formed Equity Pictures with Howard Welsch, former Universal executive producer, and plans to produce 22 features, six in color, for Eagle Lion release during the first year. Thomas is president of the new 'Continued on Page 3> No "Arch" Roadshow But Advanced Prices "Arch of Triumph" will be released at advanced admission prices but on a non-roadshow basis, George Schaefer, Enterprise vice-president and sales chief, and Gradwell L. 'Continued on Page 61 Blum-Byrnes Film Pact To Stand as is— Golden Was itm Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — There is nothing to point to re-negotiation of, or revocation of, the Bluni-Byrnes Agreement on films to France. Nathan D. GoldContinued on Page 3' Hughes. Wanger Reported in Neve Co. West Coast Bur., THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — No comment was available on a published report that Howard Hughes' deal for purchase of Floyd Odium's RKO stock is about completed and that Odium will sell all of his 929.020 shares instead of 629,020. It is reliably reported that Hughes and Walter Wanger are exploring possibilities of forming new film company and of buying and reorganizing a current releasing organization.