The Film Daily (1948)

juesday, September 21, 1948 rnu DAILY I of J Sfill Open ba (Continued from Page 1.) jjptable as a termination of the aramount case — in court or via msent decree. It is emphasized, ' bwe=l^=^ that when Attorney Gen:alr \ Clark was asked that queson last week, his reply was simly, "no comment." It would not ' ave been difficult for him to say 'le Government position has not een altered, observers note. Top Justice officials are believed ■;> feel that the future of the antii-ust laws depends to a great extent oon the motion picture suit, and iat failure to secure divestiture ould demonstrate helplessness on le part of the Government to seek le drastic remedy in monopoly aeons. A victory in the motion picture fction, it is pointed out, might assist iie D of J in the suit it has filed .i^ainst the meat packers. Here the llovernment seeks to break four tajor packers into 14 separate com.anies. As in the motion picture )ise, such an effort contrasts sharply ,ith the more frequent attempt to pmpel trust action defendants to ibandon alleged monopolistic actions. A final attempt by the majors to avert e full impact of a divorcement order is :iticipated, with Government and industry torneys looking for heavy pressure on the of J to accept a new consent decree. But !fore such pressure can be brought it is i;cessary that the defendant companies Irree upon the terms of an offer — and that lat offer g-o beyond anything the compa■es have offered the Government in the past. ' It is believed that ag-reement is beingught among the defendants to an offer hich would mean partial divorcement — for stance, hquidation of holdings in many ,ses where the detendants control all theater cilities in a city — and a ban on eross,;ensingr among the defendants. The latter ' something the Department of Justice had oked upon with favor before the Supreme mrt argument last Winter. Whether it ,ould be acceptable now is not certain. Blumberg Spikes U-I Rumors Reports 35% Business Hike Since July 1 (Continued from Page 1) Lbbott and Costello Vill Make Two for U-I West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Universal Interna' onal has exercised a term option on ibbott and Costello for two pictures iiring the coming season. Lifting : the option marks the start of the inth year the comedians have been ith U-I where they have made 20 ictures. and that "they're doing an excellent job." He added, "We suspect several people of planting the rumors." 2. That Goetz and Spitz were embroiled in serious personal differences. "There never has been any serious differences of opinion," commented Blumberg. "We know who planted this one. He had reasons of his own." 3. That the company is not for sale, either to "Mike the Fireman or Joe Kennedy. Nobody Universal will have two pictures play the Music Hall during the Fall season, Nate Blumberg said yesterday. Duo are "You Gotta Stay Happy" and "Family Honeymoon." has been around to purchase the company," said Blumberg. "The only way it could be done is in the market. The holdings of Rank, Spitz, Goetz and management aggregate 450,000 shares. The company is not for sale. A lot of such stories have been planted." 4. That the company is in financial straits. Blumberg said the company has several millions of credits available to it and has not taken advantage of. "We have ample bank credits to see us through, and I am hopeful that we will not have to use them," he declared. , 5. That Universal's bankers have made effective a ceiling on budgets. "The bankers simply could not do that under any cir cumstances; they have no control over management," he pointed out. Discussing the steps taken by Universal to meet the general industry situation. Blumberg said that the company was "not idealistic or pessimistic but realistic," and that there would be no change in its prog-ram which calls for 24 features during next year. The studio has 16 completed features. 14 still to be released, a sufficient number to carry distribution to June 1. Blumberg said U's pix had been doing well since July 1, domestically and in Canada, and that since tliat time there had been a rise in company biz of .3.5 per tient. Universal, he said in response to a query, would not handle pictures "unless we make it on the lot or have a part of it," and to another question as to theater acquisitions, replied that while desiring some show cases, tile company was "so confused by that Supreme Court decision" that any such move was not planned. In its new fiscal year starting Nov. 1, Universal will make from 34 to 26 features, Blumberg disclosed. He added that production plans were set to Jan. 1, 1950, and that in the period, the company would make 30 features. No overseas production was contemplated, he continued. Turning to sales, Blumberg said that lie did not believe single ijicture selling was beneficial to eitlier exiiibitor or distributor. Competitive bidding was restricted to "two or tliree" situations, Blumberg revealed. Universal and Prestige together will have a minimum of 12 Rank features, and Blumberg declared that there had been no change in the company's relationship with or commitments to Rank. He conceded that Rank could if he wishes put Universal pix on the lower half of the bills in his houses, but added that Rank in the past has been fair. However, he said there was "only precedent" to go by, and that the company was "pleading and praying" that there be no change. In response to another question, Blumberg said that the company would be interested in any consent decree, but he pointed out that its position was different from the circuit-owning defendants. "There liave been many changes in the industry, and we're going to see more of them," he commented. NCA Exec. Says Pix Legislation Needed (Continued from Page 1) picture but three or four "turkeys" or "dogs" in order to get it. He said while the Supreme Court didn't give 100 per cent divorcement in the Paramount decision, his group favored complete divorcement and legislation providing a free and open market in the film industry. Kane cited alleged motion picture North Central Allied said yesterday it would support the Lewis bill requiring composer to sell public performance rights in the event Federal Judge Nordbye's decision against ASCAP is reversed by the Higher Court. distributors discriminating policies against neighborhood theater owners in the distribution of new films. Kane dwelt for some time before the committee on the recent Will Glaser (Faribault, Minn., exhibitor) experience with Paramount and asserted that legislation should be made to cover such practices. udacer on Fire Committee Toledo — Abe Ludacer, manager of oew's Valentine, will represent leaters on the Toledo Chamber of ommerce fire prevention committee aring Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 9. lUCDDinG BCLLS St Denis-Mangaudis Spencer, Mass. — Raymond Mangaus, manager of the Champ Theater, as married recently to Lorraine St. enis. Joiinston Sells Pix ToSoviet-IOaYear (Continued from Page 1) the Russians from a list to be submitted by the U. S. film industry. Johnston emphasized that the Soviets had not assumed there would be assistance toward the sale of Russian films in the U. S. as a condition of the deal. Announcement followed conferences with Soviet film officials, as well as A. I. Mikoyan, Minister of Foreign Trade, and Foreign Minister V. M. Molotov. Johnston, who flies back to Paris with Joyce O'Hara, his executive aide, has been a house guest here of Walter Bedell Smith, U. S. Ambassador. Resume Loccd H-63 Talks As a result of yesterday's meeting between John J. O'Connor, U-I veepee, and Richard F. Walsh, lATSE prexy, in the latter's office, negotiations for a new contract with Local H-63 will be resumed Friday afternoon with Joe Basson and Jim Rogers representing Walsh opposite O'Connor. Rani('s 133,500 Top "U" Share Holdings (Continued from Page 1) production, holds 62,500 shares of the common issue. Of the 960,498 shares outstanding, the above trio together with management and the company's board of directors own 450,000 shares, Blumberg said. WB, Col. File Data in Monroe Suit Chicago — Attorneys for Warners and Columbia filed a ibrief in the Monroe Theater anti-txust case in Judge Barnes' court giving names of branch managers and supervisors for the past 14 years. Data had been demanded by Monroe Theater attorneys. Party For Carmichael Today Cocktail party in honor of Hoagy Carmichael is being given this afternoon in Elliot Gorden's suite at the Sherry-Netherland Hotel. Carmichael returns on the Queen Elizabeth today from a four-week London engagement. Better U-I Playing Time For 10 New York Theaters (Continued from Page 1) tury circuits. New policy was inaugurated last Wednesday with the dual bill, "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid" and "Feudin', Fussin' and AFightin." Move parallels similar action by other major companies within recent months as part of a continuous plans to revise existing clearance arrangements where warranted. Montgomery, Thea. Guild To Make Series of Films (Continued from Page 1) organizations will be made available. Properties for the first two films will be announced soon, it was said. Another part of the deal calls for the production by the Guild of a play which Montgomery will star in or direct, which may later be made into a motion picture. STORKS West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Second son, Jonathan Southworth, weighing seven pounds 12 ounces, was born to Mrs. Tex Ritter. West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Lynn Bari, actress, presented her husband, Producer Sid Luft, with a seven-pound, four-ounce son, who was named John Sidney. Detroit — Archie Gayer, former partner in the Monroe Theater, has a new son, Archie, Jr.