The Film Daily (1948)

Tuesday, August 3, 194 Cohen Streamlines WB Latin-Am. Sales Field Wolfe Cohen, vice-president of Warners Int'l, announced a realignment of the sales supervisory staff at the opening session yesterday of a two-week sales meeting of the company's Latin American heads in the home office. The entire territory will be divided into three divisions — Atlantic, Pacific and Caribbean — with a division manager in charge of each. Ary Lima, who has been supervisor over Brazil, Argentine, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, will be district manager for the Atlantic Division, comprising those same territories, with headquarters in Rio. Peter Colli, who has been supervising the Caribbean area, will be manager of that division which includes Cuba, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Venezuela, Haiti, Santo Domingo, Jamaica, British and Netherland West Indies, and the Guianas. He will headquarter in Havana. New appointee is James V. O'Gara, until recently Republic's Eastern sales manager, who has been named manager of the Pacific division including Mexico, Panama and Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, with headquarters in Mexico City. Also attending the meets are Mike Sokol, General Manager of Mexico, and home office executives Karl Macdonald, John J. Glynn, Gerry Keyser and John Maraio. Says Reds Relied Upon "Big" Hollywood Take Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Hollywood is a generous provider of Communist party /unds, Louis F. Budenz, former Daily Worker editor, told the Senate War Investigating Committee yesterday. Testifying on Communist infiltration, Budenz said the party relied upon "a very big take" from Hollywood. The national and state Communist groups, he said, at one time disputed rancorously over disposition of the funds In the meantime, it was learned that ("hairman J. Parnell Thomas of the Un-American Activities Committee has notified committee members resumption of the Hollywood hearings is at the top of his agenda, for the committee. DEATHS FILM BANK FINDS FEW FRIENDS The Wall St. Journal yesterday published the following London cable concerning the Labor Government's scheme to finance indie production thru a Film Bank whose capital would be provided by the Treasury: "The government's $20 million film finance corporation has found few friends here so far. "The new project has a five-year lease on life. It's designed to provide funds for independent producers plagued with financial headaches. Financing operations will be conducted by British distributors. They'll grant loans of government funds on the basis of expected box office returns of a given picture. "Major criticism of the plan is that it ventures riskily into unknown territory. Not long ago Board of Trade President Wilson argued that movie financing was too speculative for investing the taxpayers' money. "Now he justifies it on the grounds that 'The City,' London's financial district, balked at foi-king out the needed capital. That left the independents faced with the possibility of having to shut down and lay off their studio employes. The financiers, however, only echo Wilson's original argument: That movie ventures are too risky for private capital. "Distributors will undoubtedly try to make sure funds are advanced only for those pictures likely to be financial successes. But this raises a question. If their estimates misfire, are there sufficient safeguards to prevent them from offsetting their losses at the government corporation's expense? "Finally, the critics argue that the film finance corporation guarantees the independents neither of their major needs — more studio space and better exhibition facilities." Hold Powers Rites Today in Buffalo (Continued from Page 1) with interment in Holy Cross Cemetery, Limestone, N. Y. Powers died in Doctors Hospital, N. Y. He was 78. Born in Ireland, P. A. Powers started his business career in Buffalo as representative of the Edison Phonograph Co. and Victor Talking Machine Co. He was credited with promoting the "His Master's Voice" slogan. In 1912, Powers organized Universal Pictures Corp. which comprised eight independent production units. Later he started Film Booking Offices of America which eventually merged with RKO. He introduced "Mickey Mouse" and "Silly Symphony" cartoons and developed the Powers Cinephone recording systems. He produced two series of cartoons for M-G-M release and another known as Powers Comi-Color, which were released via Celebrity. He headed Celebrity since 1930. He was connected with the latter company until a year ago. In recent years his interest was taken up with the operation of the Long Shore Beach and Country Club in Westport. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Roscoe N. George; a sister, Mary E. Powers, a nephew and three nieces. MRS. ALFRETA MOVER, wife of Ernest Moyer, Kroehler company chairman of the board, killed in automobile accident. Moyer and daughter, Ruth, taken to hospital with injuries. E. J. BYRNE, 47, secretary and assistant treasurer of Dominion Sound Equipments, Ltd., in Neurological Institute, Montreal. He was a native of Manlius, N. Y. GROVER BURKERT, 56, stage and film veteran, from heart attack in Chicago. Report Gene Autry Will File Vs Video Sponsor West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Gene Autry, it is reported here, will file a suit in Chicago against a television sponsor to restrain the company from televising an old serial, "The Phantom Empire," which he made for Mascot 16 years ago. It is claimed the film was sold outright to an agency which in turn sold it to the sponsor. Para. Video in Chi., Los Angeles in Sept. (Continued from Page 1) tions is understood to be ready. Paramount, through B & K, now operates a Windy City video station, and has a second, KTLA, in Los Angeles. Next in line, it is said, will be installations in a Famous Players Canadian theater in Toronto and an M & P house in Boston, but no date has been set as yet. With the New York Paramount, the five stations when all are operating will form the nucleus for a video net. Paramount has been industriously exploring the possibilities of booster stations, coaxial cables and stratovision in the latter connection, it is said. Gamble Picks Balaban to Head TOA Conv. Com. (Continued from Page 1) president of the UTO of Illinois, as vice chairman, of the TOA convention committee. Convention will be held at Chicago's Drake Hotel Sept. 24 and 25, with some preliminary meetings scheduled for Sept. 23. Stanley W. Prenosil, assistant to Gael Sullivan,, executive director of TOA, left for Chicago last night to confer with Balaban and Zorn on preliminary plans and the setting up of local convention committees. Latter will include those on hotel reservations, registration, transportation, entertainment, luncheons and dinner, publicity, and finance. Gamble, Robert W. Coyne, who recently retired as executive director, and Gael Sullivan, Coyne's successor, are lining up a list of prominent speakers. 'Tassionnelle" Gets Code Seal The MPAA has issued a code seal for Distinguished Films' "Passionnelle." Screen Guild Will Have 55 Features Screen Guild Productions will r lease a program of 55 features dui ing the 1948-49 season, according 1 an announcement by Robertnlst Lij pert, president, following afiofjionj meeting of franchiseholders^,,«re. In attendance at the sessions, pr« sided over by Arthur Greenblat were representatives from Alban^ Boston, Buffalo, New York, Philade] phia and Washington, D. C. Screen Guild product announced by Lippe includes the following-: "The Mozart Story "Harpoon." "I Killed Jesse James," "TlJ Return of Wildfire." "Grand Canyon." "La of the Wild Horses." "Police Force." "Tli Blackmailers." ■The Rarag-ers." "TI Prairie." "SOS Submarine," "Shep Comi Home." "Jung^le Goddess," "Redwood En pire." "Sky Liner." "The Return of tq Saint." "City Hospital." Also "Ripflre." "Police Woman." "Tt Great Truck Mystery." "Trails End." "Is Escape." "The Woman In Black." "Son ( Jesse James." "Son of Billy the Kid. "Runaway Daughter." "King of the Turf. -Little Annie Roonie, " "Duke of We: Point." "That's My Boy." -Flirting Wit Fate." 12 Hopalong Cassidy westerns and si titles to be announced. Lachman Calls ATONJ to Meet on Bingo Bill (Continued from Page 1) be presented by George Gold, legis lative committee chairman, and com mittee members Walter H. Jones an^ Bernard Vogel, at public hearing on the bill scheduled for Aug. 1' in Trenton. Presiding over thes hearings will be Assemblyman Reu ben H. Reiff'en, sponsor of the legis lative bill to offer the bingo issu to the people of New Jersey vi referendum. Monday's Allied meeting will als discuss the proposed expansion o the third class city enabling tax t cities in the entire state. At present the law applies only to municipalitie in coastal counties. France Honors Gentel Marcel Gentel, RKO's genera manager for France, has beei awarded the Medaille Militaire b; the French Government, for "actioi above and beyond the call of dut; during time of war." Rites for Ex-Conn. Censor Hartford, Conn. — Funeral of Stati Police LL Frank A. Starkel, 45, for mer State Police Motion Picture Theater Inspector, was held in Wes Hartford with industry reps servinj as honorary pallbearers. SICK LIST CHARLES LORENZ, veteran M-G-M Omaha shipper, injured an ankle when a film can fell and was hospitalized after infection set in. WALTER JANCKE, Lincoln I Neb.) city manager for Dent Theaters, is in the hospital following a light attack of polio.