Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1939)

GfO MOT RCMOVi M P PRODUCERS x, DISTRIBUTORS OF L 23 WEST 44TH ST ' 1 Nf NEW YORK, " Picture Industry 'ON PICTURE NEW YORK, FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1939 TEN CENTS U. S. MEETS TEST OF BRITISH QUOTA V :yy 45. NO. 47 Trust Action Details Ready In Two Months Suit May Go to Trial in the Late Fall Bill of particulars in the Government anti-trust suit will be ready in about two months and the action ready for trial in the late fall, Government sources indicated yesterday. An effort will be made to obtain stipulation from the major companies on certain of the facts in order to facilitate the trial and shorten the bill. Opinion was varied as to who could claim the victory in Federal Judge William Bondy's decisions of Wednesday. Although some of the defense counsel felt that the Government would be required to set forth in detail its cause of action and be limited from expanding it at trial, others pointed out that most of the questions could be answered in general terms without going into too great detail. Attorneys spent the major portion of the day vesterday studying the de(Continued on page 4) British Ticket Plan Urged at Code Trial Brock Pemberton, legitimate stage producer, advocated the English system of ticket brokerage at the final day of hearing of the injunction suit brought by Acme Ticket Agency against League of N. Y. Theatres and Actors' Equity to restrain enforcement of the ticket code. Lawyers will wait until the stenographic record is ready before preparing briefs. James F. Reilly, executive secretary of the League, testified that Acme had been given an opportunity to sign the code but that the offer had been refused. Pemberton disagreed with the testimony of Equity that brokers hindered the legitimate stage, but he declared that it was necessary to limit the price advance. Elizabeth Allan Wins Metro British Action London, March 9. — Elizabeth Allan today was awarded damages of $17,500 against M-G-M British. She had claimed breach of contract, contending she had been engaged originally to star in "The Citadel." The damages were sought for alleged loss of salary and opportunities. M-G-M British is expected to appeal the verdict. A stay of execution already has been granted the company. Spot Loew's Houses On World Fair Map Tony Sarg's official World's Fair map, now being published, spots Loew theatres in the metropolitan area as "stopovers" for tourists visiting the Fair. Total of 3,000,000 map books will be printed. Skouras Sees Television Aid To Box-Office Television will help rather than hurt the film box-office, declared Charles Skouras, head of Fox West Coast Theatres, who investigated television's possibilities in London. Skouras returned yesterday on the Queen Mary from a two and a half months' tour of Europe. From what Skouras learned and observed in London, television in theatres will draw large audiences, as he witnessed at broadcasts in Gaumont British theatres. On the other hand, he says, home reception will be limited to small screens and there will be inconveniences involved. He believes that the superiority of theatre television reception will overcome by far whatever competition home television may offer. This was Skouras' first trip to Eu (Continued on page 4) Fifty-one regional winners in the RKO "Gateway to Hollywood" talent quest, and several score guests, including the press, attended the luncheon at the Hotel Roosevelt yesterday tendered in connection with the New York regional eliminations and tryouts. At the conclusion of the eliminations the 51 winners had been reduced to two — Dorothy Davis, 17-year-old blonde, and Charles Ruppert, military academy student. At subsequent eliminations the two will compete to find the finalist boy and girl, who will be given the names of John Archer and Alice Eden and featured in the motion picture "Career," which RKO will film. That RKO is satisfied that it is de Film Backing Of Plays Move Proves Futile Efforts of a negotiating committee to provide a basis on which film backing could be obtained for legitimate stage productions have been unsuccessful and the matter is being turned over to the Dramatists' Guild council and the board of directors of Loew's and Warners for final determination. The committee, which consists of Sidney R. Fleischer, counsel to the guild, J. Robert Rubin, vice-president of Loew's, and Jake Wilk, Warner eastern story editor, is still confident that the difficulties can be adjusted, however. Although agreed in principle that film companies backing plays should have the privilege to purchase film rights before actual production of the play, and to pay for it on the basis of the length of the run, the committee was unable to furnish a formula which would guarantee that a play's run would not be cut short. Final meetings, which were held earlier this week, found the negotiators {Continued on page 4) riving benefit from the radio program was made clear by announcement yesterday that following the end of the current dramatic talent quest, the studio will embark immediately on another, a musical. The young acting hopefuls were addressed by Ralph Rolan, Arthur Willi, Bryant Washburn, Edward Arnold and Maria Ouspenskaya. All were wished well, and given the usual advice to work hard, fight discouragement, have faith in themselves, and the like. Among the guests from the studio and the RKO home office, were Edward Arnold, Ned Depinet, Jules Levy, John O'Connor, Fred Meyer, S. Barret McCormick, Rutgers Neilson, Marion Robertson and Rufus LeMaire. Fulfill Obligations of Quality Production in First Year By AL FINESTONE American companies have fulfilled their obligations of quality production in the first year's operation of the British quota. Of 52 to 55 features produced in England in the 12 months ending March 31, nine or 10 meet the act's quality as well as multiple cost requirements. This is about 20 per cent of the total, a ratio of quality which is higher than production in this country. Films Under Clause Among British films which the American firms are distributing here and abroad and which came under the multiple credits clause of the British quota are : "Drums," "A Yank at Oxford," "Wings of the Morning," "We're Going to Be Rich," "The Citadel," "Mikado," "Pygmalion," "The Lady Vanishes" and "Good Bye, Mr. Chips." Five of these were made with American capital. All have already been released with the exception of "Mr. Chips" which will be released shortly. The number of features produced in England in 1938 slumped to probably one-third the output of the year be(Continued on page 4) M-G-M Schedules 44-52 Next Year M-G-M will schedule 44 to 52 features for next season. This is the same number as scheduled for the last two years. The company this season will deliver more product than it has since 1936-37. In that year 44 features were delivered, last year 45 features, while in the current season M-G-M may release 51. Only one week's release was missed, for Sept. 23, and production schedules assure full release up to the end of May, with three more months to go on the year. W. F. Rodgers, M-G-M general sales manager, who is on the coast, is due in Chicago on March 18 in advance of the sales convention which opens there a day later. 51 'Gateway9 Winners Are Guests at Press Luncheon