Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1947)

"Monsienr Verdoiix," or Charles Chaplin, producer, director, star, in a pensive mood as he portrays the French BInebeard in the film that openetl to gala festivities last Friday (11th) on Broadway. PICKUPS to and from Phila. Airports Meeting All Planes Day and Night Service ANOTHER SUPER SERVICE from HIGHWAY EXPRESS LINES, Inc. 236 N. 23rd St. 1239 Vine St. 1225 Vine St. Phila. 7, Pa. LOcust 4-0100 DEPENDABLE DELIVERY NEW JERSEY MESSENGER! SERVICE .Memlier Nat'l Film ( arrler» ■i.50 N. .liiiiiper St.. PliU:-.. 7. Pa. I.Ocust 7-4823 Wm DIGfSI (Continued from Page 20) JOHNSTON. BREEN RE-ELECTED BY MPAA Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, reporting on MPA activities of the past year at the Association's annual meeting, lavished praise on the "constructive and cooperative attitude of Hollywood, particularly in relation to the Production Code. " Plans submitted by Joseph R. Vogel for the dinner in New York, May 8, marking the 25th anniversary of the Association were approved by the board, as were proposals to send stars to participate in the Brussels Film Festival on June 15, and the Second Command Performance in London next November. Principal Pictures filed notice of resignation from the Ass'n, which, under the by-laws, is effective in one year. A proposal to increase from one to two, the number of directors from each company will be discussed at a special membership meeting in the near future. Officers elected by the Board to serve for the next year are: Eric Johnston, president and chairman of the board; Joseph I. Breen, vice-president; Francis S. Harmon, vice-president; George Borthwick, sec'y and treas.; Sidney Schreiber, assistant sec'y; Fred W. DuVall, assistant treas. and James S. Howie, assistant sec'y-treasurer. Directors elected were: Johnston, Barney Balaban, Nate J. Blumberg, Borthwick, Jack Cohn, Cecil B. DeMille, Ned E. Depinet, E. W. Hammons, E. B. Hatrick, Jos. H. Hazen, Hal Roach, Herman Robbins, NicholEis M. Schenck, Spyros P. Skouras and Albert Warner. * * « E-L. RANK IN EXCHANGE DEAL Eagle-Lion has concluded arrangements with J. Arthur Rank for an exchange of talent, material and facilities that should be of great benefit to both groups, Arthnr B. Krim, E-L president, revealed in a press conference upon his return from England where he engaged in a series of conferences with Rank designed to implement the relationship between the Rank Organization abroad and Eagle-Lion here. Krim also reported that the first American E-L film to be played in England, "Lost Honeymoon." has been booked for Rank's entire Odeon Circuit, with five more set to play either Odeon or Gaumont Circuits. The E-L prexy declared also that Ran'c ofllcials had been delighted with the reception given the first two of their films to be distributed bv E-L in the U. S., "The Adventuress" and "Bedelia." Three more have been assigned. Krim left last Tuesday for Hollywood for production conferences which were postponed to permit production chief Bryan Foy to attend the funeral in New York of his brother, Richard E. Foy, who died April 4 in Dallas, Tex. * * * PRC, E-L AD-PUBLICITY MERGER The publicit;.-. advertising and exploitation departments of Eagle-Lion Films and PRC were merged under the over-all direction of Max E. Youngstein, in what seemed the first move in Pathe Industries, parent company, long-rumored action to merge the operations of the two subsidiaries. Both staffs moved into joint quarters, taking over the fifteenth floor of the Bond building at 1560 Broadway. .Terry Pickman heads publicity for both companies, with Arthur Jeffrey as exploitation manager and Harold Danson, advertising. * * * UNIVERSAL QUARTERLY NET DROPS Universal Pictures consolidated net profits for the 13 weeks ended Feb. 1, 1947, aggregated $756,543 after all charges, including Federal taxes based on income. An unusual aspect of this statement, in view of previous soaring reports, was that the figure represented a drop from the $934,506 for the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year. OUTLAW" BAN UPHELD The New York Supreme Court sustained the right of the New York City license commissioner and police commissioner to threaten revocation of a theatre's license and prosecution of the exhibitor to prevent the showing of what the police commissioner ter:ned an indecent picture, when Justice Bernard Shientag dismissed the Hughes Tool Co. complaint against License Commissioner Fielding and Police Commissioner Arthur W. Wallendar for their threat of prosecution if three New York theatres played "The Outlaw." Hughes sought a declaratory judgment, an injunction and a determination of a question of law to the effect that an exhibitor of a film licensed by the State in accordance with provisions of Article 43 of the Education Law is not subject to prosecution under the Penal Law. Judge Shientag ruled that the censor setup does not relieve the local ?T-.":"r.orities from their duty of detecting and prosecuting violations of the law. The producer is expected to take the case to the N. Y. Court of Appeals. • • • FILM CLASSICS PLANS PRODUCTION Film Classics will become a "major distributing organization, offering complete facilities on a nationwide and foreign basis for top independent producers," Joseph Bernhard, president, declared last fortnight. With 14 wholly-owned exchanges in the U. S., plans are being made for the production of some pictures by the company, which until now has been distributing reissues. The first non-reissue film, an English picture "The Patient Vanishes," starring James Mason will be distributed by FC, Bernhard reported. A pre-release Broadway run is scheduled fcr the film within two months, if negotiations can be arranged. APRIL 14, 1947 29