The Film Daily (1948)

ednesday, January 21, 1948 )hn$lon (alls Heads jo Emergency Parley (Continued from Page 1) the Mundt bill and its impact on le film industry. The industry has flowed the bill closely and has nned considerable hope on recoverg foveign funds through the bill. ".haimen Named for Boy icout Funds Campaign Foes to Attack 75% Duty Today Debate on Films Act Will Start Assault Chairmen and vice-chairmen for ie industry drive in behalf of the reater New York Boy Scouts were mounced at the weekend. Serving the drive will be Joseph . Vogel, John Murphy, Joseph Bernard, Eugene Arnstein, Harry Kaline, W. Stewart McDonald, Neil 'gnew, Abe Schneider, Malcolm 'ingsberg, Ned Depinet, Leon Bam;;rger, Donald Henderson, Matty ox, Al Schwalberg and Charles jj Also, Fred Schwartz, Myron SieM, Emanuel Sachs, Milton Berle, i -rank Meyer, Harry Nadel and Jo;ph Newman. :<i ^ourt Dismisses Charges Against Three Majors 5 Buff alo — Charges against RKO, Universal and Warners, three of the 3| film companies involved in the llOO.OOd damage suit instituted by ardonaro Brothers of Olean, have rn!en dismissed here by Federal idge Harold T. Burke. RKO and Universal were dis issed as defendants due to lack of Pfidence that they had any part in m alleged conspiracy to prevent the aintiffs from obtaining first run ^■'•oduct. Charges against Warners Mere dismissed on the grounds that llfeintiffs had not attempted to ob™n Warner product. lea ,;,etrillo Firm in Stand fa.gainst Tele, Pix for Tele m Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY '■^Washington — James C. Petrillo, ,£]JPM czar, yesterday continued his "!fiamant stand against television in iet:lengthy meeting with executives of tme four major radio networks. The Infab, which also included members •J,!ll the AFM executive board and offi*"ils of the FM Association, ended t0':th absolutely no agreement. In Edition to his strong stand against *Je of live music in tele, Petrillo |ko indicated he would remain firm ' "ainst use of musicians in motion .'■■■ tures for video. (Continued from Page 1) labor's most influential leaders, probably will make one of the bitterest assaults on the duty, which he has opposed from the first. Supporting him will be other members of Parliament reflecting the viewpoint of the other components of the British film industry, it is understood. The plight of the British trade is becoming increasingly serious with the passing of each day. Comparatively few un-released American features are on hand, and within another two months or so, the British exhibitor will have nothing available save a trickling of British product and American re-issues. Even the latter may be out of grasp if the British Government, changing front, elects to impose a 75 per cent tax on their earnings as well. British production is also feeling the effects of the tax situation. While the larger producers — J. Arthur Rank and Sir Alexander Korda, notably — have adequate finances, indie producers already are finding it difficult to make the necessary money deals. CEA May Change Position To Favor Renters' Quota London (By Air Mail) — CEA may reconsider its decision to withdraw objections to the omission or the renters' quota from the Film Act, it is learned. Group's position is that it had agreed not to press its objections because it was assumed that one of the alternatives of the ad valorem tax would be the investment of earnings by American distributors in the production of films in Britain. However, recent announcement by Harold Wilson, president of the Board of Trade, that the tax will stand, is seen as putting a different light on the problem, with exhibitors fearing that whatever money the Americans earn here will be sent to the U. S., despite American plans to continue production here. Wechsler, Sued, Wants Plaintiff to File Bond No Drop in B. O. Pull of Outdoor Action Pix — Pine Producer Lazar Wechsler filed a motion through his attorney, Robert Perret, in the Supreme Court, New York County, requesting the Court make the plaintiff, Moritz Hamburger, file a $2,000 bond for the expenses the defendant has incurred in the suit. Wechsler's brief also called for the dismissal of Hamburger's claims on the ground that Germany's four-year statute of limitations nullifies commissions which the plaintiff alleges are owing to him; also, Switzerland's 10-year statute of limitations nullifies the loan which the plaintiff asserts was made in 1933 to the Swiss Praesans Film, headed by Wechsler. Hamburger seeks a total of $9,800. Portland, Ore., 1st Runs Up Admissions 5 Cents SICK LIST JOHN J. O'CONNOR, Universal vice;sident, is recovering at home from i ctured rib, sustained in a fall. Portland, Ore. — In the first price hike since 1943, downtown first-runs have upped admissions from 80 to 85 cents. Rising costs of operation necessitated the increase, operators explain. John Kamuda Dead Springfield, Mass. — John Kamuda, veteran exhibitor, died at his home in Indian Orchard, a suburb. He had owned the Grand Theater in that town for about 30 years. He leaves his wife, a son, Henry, who is the operator of the theater, a daughter, Bertha, associated in the theater, and two married daughters. To Screen Aussie Films Havana (By Air Mail) — First Australian films to be shown in Cuba will be screened tomorrow by the Australian delegation to the ITO conference. (Continued from Page 1) buquerque," told The Film Daily yesterday. Pine pointed to the many situations where an outdoor picture will regularly achieve grosses significantly higher than more serious dramatic fare. Discussing the problem of cutting costs in order to compensate for the loss of foreign revenues, Pine declared that the independent film maker was in a better position than the larger company in this respect. "The indie has always kept a careful eye on costs and is therefore already familiar with all of the short cuts," he said. "Albuquerque," made by PineThomas' Clarion Prods., will have its world premiere in the city of that name on Feb. 2, to be followed by openings on successive days beginning Feb. 4 in Houston, San Antonio Dallas and Fort Worth. Fifty more dates in the Southwest area will fol low closely upon the gala opening week. Paramount plans a junket of stars and journalists, including Randolph Scott, Gabby Hayes, and Lon Chaney., Jr., from the cast, to participate in the premiere festivities, Director William Thomas will also make the trip from Hollywood. The same group of stars will visit the other Texas cities. New Eastman Color Still Experimental (Continued from Page 1) photography. At the present time there is a process which we have been trying to perfect for several years and which is still in the experimental stage in our laboratories that may make another new and commercially satisfactory color process for 35 mm motion pictures. "Because of the experimental status of the color process, however, no valid estimate can be made of its possible cost in relation to the cost of existing processes and any present estimates are simply speculation. Similarly, no estimate can be made of the time required before the process might be commercially satisfactory. In its present development status, the process is undergoing constant revision and considerable research and development remains to be done before any attempt is made to evaluate its commercial possibilities." "Paradine" Opens in Five More Advanced Price Spots West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — David O. Selznick's "The Paradine Case" opens today in five additional theaters at advanced admission prices. Currently playing the Bruin and Vogue, picture will demand higher scales at the Fifth Avenue, Ingle wood; Valley. North Hollywood; Long Beach, Long Beach; Tower, Pasadena, and Rialto in downtown Los Angeles. ASCAP Would License Producers Under Bill Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Representative Lewis, Chairman of the House Judicial subcommittee on Patents and Copyrights, has introduced a bill in the House to require ASCAP to deal exclusively with motion picture producers, releasing exhibitors of all license or royalty payments on music in films. Gilbert Services Today Funeral services for Douglas Gilbert of the N. Y. World Telegram will be held at noon today at the Little Church Around the Corner. Burial will be at Sand Lake. A former dramatic critic for the W-T and author, Gilbert's series of features on film subjects for the Scripps Howard daily served to make him widely known in New York film circles. AMPA Nominating Com. Meets AMPA nominating committee will meet today to prepare a slate of officers to serve the oganization during the current year. Committee includes Charles Alicoate, Rutgers Neilson, Hap Hadley, Vincent Trotta, Chester Friedman. Leon Bamberger, Dave Bader, Blanche Livingstone and Evelyn Koleman. WEDDING BELLS Schenck-Balsam Armand Schenck, president of Madison Pictures, announces the engagement of his daughter, Rita, to Jerome Balsam. The prospective bride is employed by the law firm of O'Dwyer & Bei-nstien.