The Film Daily (1948)

M x' 1^ &i l> InUmat* In Charactor International In Scope Independent in Thought V'^^94, NO. 1 > ^^l: The Dally Newspaper Ol Motion Pictures Now Thirty Years Old HP ft'/2 ^1^ NEW YORK, AY. JULY 1. 1948 -f^lMC/lp: TEN CENTS TCDDinGTOn CLOSINfi fOCUSCS QUOTB fOLLV Dojee Schary Resigns as RKO Production Head Cancellation of 3 Top Budget Pix Seen as Cause; Action in Effect at Once West Coast Bureau of THE FILM 'DAILY Hollywood — Dore Schary, vicepresident in charge of production at RKO yesterday announced his resignation, effective immediately. Although he did not disclose his future plans, it is believed he will rejoin the David 0. Selznick organization. There are also reports he may align with Columbia. It is thought the order for cancellation of three top budgeted pictures, including "Battle Ground," in which Schary was keenly interested, 'Continued on Page 7) (ryptix Would End Unauthorized Codes Cincinnati — Cryptix numbering is the best insurance against theaters devising their own code systems, Willis Vance, theater operator and owner of the Cryptix system, informed the Treasury Dept. in answer to reports from Washington. The BIR's only objection to Cryptix is that it opens the door to other systems. System has ease of administration, (Continued on Page 4) Broadway Background for Pioneer's Second Film Second production to be made in the East by Pioneer Pictures will be i semi-documentary, "The Broadway Story," a screenplay by Charles Ledjrer with color and background by Dorothy Kilgallen, Louis Sobol, Dan;on Walker and Earl Wilson, it was (Continued on page 6) Memphis Censors Put ^ix on ''Lulu Belle'' Memphis — The Memphis and Shelby County Censor Board, target of anti-censorship litigation instituted a year ago by the film industry after it had banned Hal Roach's "Curley," slapped a ban yesterday on Columbia's "Lulu Belle." The pic had been tentatively scheduled to open Aug. 12 at the Maico Theater. Ill ATONJ Plans Protest Against Duplicate News Coverage in Movietone's Television Newsreel West End, N. J. — A strong protest against Movietone's daily television newsreel will be registered with 20th-Fox as a result of discussions yesterday at the Allied Theater Owners of New Jersey convention. Exhibitors, it was learned, are fearful of the video reel which, they claim, shows news events in the homes of television set owners days ahead of similar shots in the theater reel. Problem, according to a spokesman, is particularly vivid to many New Jersey Allied members who operate in an area where six video stations compete with theaters on newsreel coverage. A solution may be sought under the conciliation setup which ATONJ seeks with 20th-Fox. Allied Plans Manual On Final Court Decree West End, N. J. — A booklet in the nature of a manual for the information and guidance of exhibs. in ascertaining and protecting their rights under the new order to be established eventually by the courts, will be issued by National Allied shortly after the interlocutory decree is entered and the injunctions become effective, Abram F. Myers, Allied counsel, said in a message in the Allied (Continued on page 6) Gevaert to Make Safety Stock in Belgium Plant London (By Air Mail) — Gevaert's raw stock plant in Antwerp will soon be producing the new acetate butyrate safety base, and Gevaert's film exports to England could be coated on that base, it is revealed. Develoj)ment is seen as another aid in the campaign to lessen requirements under the Home Office's proposed (Continued on Page 6) Showdown Looms on Theater TV Rights A showdown in the dispute between television broadcasters and theaters on the right to pick up signals for large screen use may develop in the near future — possibly at the time of the Democratic national convention which opens July 12 in Philadelphia, observers predicted yesterday. Question, it is learned, may be raised tomorrow at a meeting of representatives in the video convention (Continued on Page 7) Mochrie Schedules Five RKO Zonal Sales Parleys Robert Mochrie, RKO Radio distribution chief, yesterday scheduled a series of zonal sales meetings at which the Ned Depinet drive winners will be announced. Mochrie will inaugurate the meetings in Buffalo on July 12. Second (Continued on Page 4) ATONJ Okays Conciliation Will Name Committee to Approach Smith Priscilla, Detroit, Asks Shifts in Clearance Area Detroit — John Crane, owner of the Priscilla Theater, filed an arbitration case yesterday, naming all five majors, and seeking elimination of all clearance of the East Side Theater over his house. The. East Side, owned by Sam Ackerman, is oldest house under single ownership in De( Continued on page 6) West End, N. J.— Allied Theater Owners of New Jersey will approach Andy W. Smith, Jr., general sales manager of 20th-Fox, in an effort to set up a conciliation plan similar to that instituted in Minneapolis last week by Smith and Benjamin Berger, president of North Central Allied, it was decided yesterday in the closing business session of ATO's 29th annual convention. Following a full discussion of the (Continued on page 6) Warners Tries Vainly to Find an Indie Producer To Use Reopened Studio London (By Cable) — The sheer impracticability and utter folly of the 45 per cent exhibitors quota which becomes operative Oct. 1 by act of Parliament was brought into sharp focus here yesterday when it was learned that the Teddington Studios would shut down a week from tomorrow. Confirming the shuttering, an executive of Warner Bros, said that the studios had been reopened for the benefit of indie producers in Britain, and that the company had vainly tried to find some one to go in when (Continued on Page 4) MPEA Boyrott Repeal Doubted as Tops Meet On the eve of today's momentous meeting of the MPEA executive committee for a full-dress discussion of "the British situation," including the 45 per cent exhibitors quota just imposed and the British proposed interpretations of "permitted uses" embodied in the Anglo-American film agreement, there was a single safe bet. And that, members of the MPEA committee freely admitted, was that (Continued on Page 6) Second Edinburgh Festival Set for Aug. 22-Sept. 12 Edinburgh (By Air Mail) — Second International Festival of Documentary Films will be held here Aug. 22Sept. 12, under auspices of the Edinburgh Film Guild. Spread over three weeks, programs will be arranged so that most of films scheduled can be viewed during one seven-day period. (Continued on page 6) Contmontvealth-Wide Aussie Censorship Sydney (By Air Mail) — Commonwealth-wide film censorship will become effective in Australia on Jan. 1, it is announced by the censor's office.