The Film Daily (1948)

^t •^Bes^ssfumn KVt VO %. NO. 41 NEW YORK. FRroAY. AUGUST 27, 1948 TEN CENTS BBflK, JOHnSTOn PREPBRE fllEfnOS TO UilLSOn MPEA in GexMnany Granted First ECA Guarantee Covers $456,000 Program In U. S. and British Zones; 52 Features, 26 One-Reelers Berlin (By Cable) — Importance of films in the economic revival and democratization of postwar Germany is seen in approval of the first guaranteed investment granted the Motion Picture Export Association, Inc., of Germany, under terms of tJie Economic Cooperation Act by the Bipartite Board of the U. S. and British zones. Guarantee covers a $456,000 program of film imports into the U. S. and British zones, permitting 52 (Continued on Page 3) Five S-W Theaters Said on the Marlcet Philadelphia — Stanley-Warner is willing to sell five of its local theaters, according to informed real estate sources. Circuit, it is understood, is interested in a deal for all five houses, or in separate transactions. Price asked for the situations was not revealed but the cash outlay (Continued on Page 31 20th-Fox Petition Nixed Re 'Frisco TV Application Washington Bureau, of THE FILM DAILY Washington — The FCC yesterday denied 20th-Fox's petition for reconsideration of its request to amend its San Francisco TV application by including as evidence the (Continued en Page 6) Films, inc. Acquires Astor IS mm. Rights Astor Pictures' 16 mm. product will be distributed on a non-exclusive basis by Films, Inc., under a deal concluded with the latter by Jacques Kopfstein, executive vice-president of Astor. Under the five-year pact. Films, Inc., will order immediately prints of a minimum of 50 of Astor's 16 mm. features, and a group of short subjects. Astor subjects are designed to supplement Films' 20thFox product in the theaterless-town field. i ATOI Seeks More Adult Film Fare on BitSis Of Insurance Company Population Statistics Indianapolis — A bigger proportion of adult film themes is advocated by the Associated Theater Owners of Indiana on the basis of insurance company statistics which reveal that the U. S. population is growing steadily older. Quoting figures from the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., ATOI points out that while 38.8 per cent of Americans were under 20 years of age in 1930, projections indicated that in two years on!y 31 per cent will be under 20, while the portion of those over 44 will be 29.3 per cent. "Aren't these figures impressive enough to consider a little bigger portion of adult pictures?" ATOI queries. N. Y. Film Council Plans Conference A city-wide conference on the use of films for public affairs purposes is planned by the New York Film Council as part of its five-point program for the year. Conference may be held in the Fall during AudioVisual week. New board of directors, headed by Willard Van Dyke, also plans steps working to the repeal of city and state laws on licensing and censorship of 16 mm. films. Move will (Continued on Page 3) Minneapolis Exhibs. to Retain Inactive Licenses To Publish Drive-in Survey in September MPAA's survey of drive-in theaters, under the direction of Robert W. Chambers, the association's research chief, is expected to be completed in time to permit publication of results in September. Reports from the field are now being collected and tabulated. The demand for the territorial surveys of theaters other than driveins made by the MPAA earlier has been so great that the stock has been virtually exhausted. Reports to be Basis for Talks At MPAA President's Sunday Meet with EOT Top London (By Cable)— That MPAA President Eric A. Johnston's Sunday meeting at the home of Harold Wilson, BOT president, will be more than a mere social call was confirmed yesterday when it was learned that both J. Arthur Rank and Johnston are preparing reports to Wilson to be used as a basis for discussion at the conference. Rank's report is expected to embody his viewpoints on the industry situation both here and in the U. S., (Continued on Page 3) Minneapolis — Operators of two neighborhood houses, forced out when the theater buildings were sold, are permitted to retain their licenses on an inactive basis, by action of the City Council's license committee. Mrs. Roy Secrest, wife of the late (Continued on Page 3) Churubusco Exec. Promotes Video in Latin America Mexico City (By Air Mail) — Emilio Azcarraga, owner of a circuit of 25 theaters, a half interest in Churubusco Studios and of Mexico's foremost radio network, was elected president of Television Asociada, new organization designed to stimu( Continued on Page 3) $13,570,000 Earned By Para, in ( Months Paramount's earnings for the six months ended July 3, after all charges including estimated provision for income taxes, is estimated at $13,570,000, it was announced yesterday. Amount includes $3,312,000 share of undistributed earnings of partially owned non-consolidated subsidiaries. At the same time it was reported (Continued on Page 6) ITOA Affirms ASCAP Appeal Weisman Blasts TOA's Position on Fees Stem Named Superfilm's Western Sales Supervisor Harry Stern has been named supervisor of Superfilm Distributing Corp.'s activities in the Coastal and Rocky Mountain districts, Marcello Girosi, president, and Bernard Jacon, sales manager, announced. Formerly Western division manager for Gaumont-British, PRC and United Artists, Stern leaves for his new post shortly. ITOA will appeal Judge Vincent Leibell's decision in the ASCAP suit to obtain "not alone damages, but even far more sweeping relief," Milton C. Weisman, general counsel, revealed yesterday. In a monograph released to the press, Weisman declared: "No Appellate Court will ever amend this decision to the detriment of the interests of the exhibitor." Blasting the attitude of TOA leaders who have advised exhibitors (Continued on Page 3) Indianapolis Drops Plan For Free Children's Pix Indianapolis — A project under which the Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau and several other civic groups would have sponsored a war against juvenile delin( Continued on Page 6) Five Contpanies Bow To Record N. Y. Heat At three o'clock yesterday when the mercury hit 101 degrees, home office employes at RKO, Eagle Lion and Warners were given the rest of the day off. Half hour later, office workers at Paramount and Monogram were told to go home. Vanguard's staff left at 4:15. In the other home offices, which are air-conditioned, personnel worked till regular closing time. TOA closed at 1:00 p. m.