The Film Daily (1948)

r Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought Do^^^p.^ A. A ^ The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Thirty Years Old -IPDArLV V(i\J94, NO. 57 NEW YORK. TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 21, 1948 TEN CENTS BLUfflB6RG SPIKCS U-l DISSCnSIOn TALK mustice Dept. Still Open to a Consent Decree Decree of Divestiture Won Seen Important in Action vs. Meat Packers [Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Department of Jusice, accoi'ding to informed opinion |ere, would be open to a consent deree in the Paramount suit, if such decree would back, to a sufficient egree, the Government's right to [isist upon divestiture in monopoly lotions. Government attorneys maintain lat the D of J position is, as it has |eyn in the past, that nothing short 5i full divorcement would be ac(Continued on Page 7) Better U-l Time for 10 New York Houses Ten independent houses in the metropolitan area have been assigned day and date bookings with the RKO circuit for the exhibition of Universal proliuct, Nate J. Blumberg, president, announced yesterday. Houses, which heretofore followed the RKO theaters, include members of the Randforce, Skouras and Cen(Continued on Page 7) Meet Today on Variety I Take-Over of Hospital Bob O'Donnell, international chief barker of Variety Clubs Int'l, and "Chick" Lewis will hold a preliminary meeting here today with Abe j , Montague, chairman of the distribkJutors' emergency committee, and MH (Continued on Page 6) Fred Allen May Star in "Ezra Jones'' Pic West Coast Bar., THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — It is reported that Fred Allen will return to the screen in "The Double Life of Ezra Jones" and that negotiations are pending between Producer J. D. Trop and the comedian. If deal is consummated picture is expected to be made on the Coast, although there is some likelihood of it being produced in the East. NCA SAYS PIX LEGISLATION NEEDED House Committee on Small Business Gets Plea from Kane at Minneapolis Hearing By NATHANIEL F. WOOD mhU DAlhY Stajf Correspondent Minneapolis — Stanley D. Kane, executive counsel of North Central Allied, speaking for President Bennie Berger, told the House Committee on Small Business here yesterday that legislation must be enacted in a number of situations regarding the film industry. Kane asked legislation that would require producers to sell pictures on the same basis to all exhibitors similarly situated. Kane told the committee, including Rep. William Stevenson (R. Wis.), James Foristel of St. Louis, executive director of committee, and Willis J. Ballinger, economic counsel, that producers were forcing one picture on another as a sale term, ofi'ering one good (Continued on Page 7) Walbrook May Move Against Col., RKO Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington— The Walbrook Theater, in Baltimore, may come forth shortly with suits against Columbia and RKO to force them to provide at least half their product on first neighborhood run to the Walbrook. These two distributors are currently (Continued on Page 6) Montgomery, Thea. Guild To Make Series of Films Neptune Films, Inc., production company headed by Robert Montgomery, will produce a series of films with the Theater Guild, under an agreement signed by Montgomery, Lawrence Langner and Theresa Helburn. Facilities of both (Continued on Page 7) Wisconsin Cliedcers Must be Licensed Milwaukee — Theater checkers in Wisconsin must be licensed as private detectives, and must be under bond, according to a ruling of Attorney General Grover L. Broadfoot. Ruling includes blind checking, as well as conventional checking. Opinion came as a result of a (Continued on Page 6) No Hollywood Comment on Purchase of Yates Stock West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — No comment was available here in a published report that a New York group, comprising a famed attorney and several banks, would seek to acquire Herbert J. Yates' stock In Republic Pictures. It (Continued on Page 6) Johnston Sells Pix to Soviet Deal for 10 a Year Appears All But Set Texas Ticket Tax Would Replace Government Levy Houston, Tex. — Looking ahead in anticipation that the Federal admissions tax may be lifted in the future, the League of Texas Municipalities plan to sponsor a bill in the next Texas Legislature for an admission tax to supplant the Federal levy, it (Continued on Page 6) Moscow (By Cable) — While negotiations have not been completed, a deal under which U. S. pictures would be played in Russia appears to have been made, Eric A. Johnston, MPAA-MPEA head, said following discussions with Soviet officials. Details will be worked out in America, he added. Johnston said he hopes to sell at least 10 American films annually to (Continued on Page 7) Spitz, Goetz Pacts Run 5 More Years; Differences Denied; U-I Not for Sale Nate J. Blumberg, Universal-Int'l prexy, at a press conference at the home office yesterday branded as wholly unfounded, and as "vicious and malicious," a yariety of published and unpublished rumors affecting the company, its operations, its stability and its future. Among the canards nailed by Blumberg were these: 1. That Leo Spitz and William Goetz were being "pushed BLUMBERG out ' or were leaving the company. Blumberg said their contracts still had five years to run from Nov. 1, (Continued on Page 7) Ranlt's 133,500 Top U"Sliare Holdings rriirr J. Arthur Rank continues to be Universal's largest stockholder, Nate J. Blumberg, president, said yesterday, with the maintenance of his interest at 133,500 shares of the company's common stock. William Goetz, in charge of studio production, is the company's second largest stockholder with ownership of approximately 75,000 shares; while Leo Spitz, executive head of (Continued on Page 7) "U" Top Executives On Yenr Deal Basis Universal's top executives have been serving on a year-to-year basis with present contracts expiring Dec. 31, 1949, Nate J. Blumberg, president, said yesterday. Not included in this category are William Goetz and Leo Spitz, production toppers, each of whose present contracts has five years to run. ^.