Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1940)

6 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, January 16, 1940 26 Film Chiefs Called To Give Trust Suit Data (Continued from pane 1) chairman of the board of directors ; Barney Balaban, president, and Neil F. Agnew and Y. Frank Freeman, vice-presidents, on March 4. From Warner Bros., Harry M. Warner, president, and Jack Warner, vice-president, on March 11. Joseph Bernhard, president of Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. and Gradwell L. Sears, president of Vitagraph, are requested to appear on the same day. From Twentieth Century-Fox, Joseph M. Schenck, chairman of the board of directors ; Sidney R. Kent, president ; Darryl F. Zanuck, vicepresident, and Herman Wobber, general -manager of distribution, on March 18. Spyros Skouras, president of National Theatres Corp., is asked to attend on the same day. From Loew's and M.G.M., Nicholas M. Schenck, president; Charles C. Moskowitz, assistant treasurer ; William F. Rodgers, general sales manager, and Louis B. Mayer, vice-president in charge of production, on March 25. "Reasonable notice in writing to every other party to the action" is required under Federal Rules to obtain oral examinations by the government. Attorneys for majors may contest the government action, under these rules, upon an application to the court on "good cause shown." Attack may be made on the right to any examinations or efforts of majors can be directed towards limiting the scope of the examination, providing for only written interrogatories or changing the location of the examinations. In addition, the majors may ask that testimony of witnesses be withheld from the public. United Artists' officials were examined by the government last Summer and no further testimony will be sought, it is understood. In addition to Special Assistant Attorney General Paul Williams, the notice was signed by Special Assistants Robert L. Wright and Thomas J. Lynch, new figures in the suit. Cartoon Guild Loses Labor Board Case Washington, Jan. 15. — The National Labor Relations Board today dismissed all proceedings in the controversy between the Screen Cartoon Guild and Walter Lantz Productions, Universal Pictures, Loew's, Inc., Association of Motion Picture Producers, M.P.P.D.A., Raymond Katz Studio and Leon Schlesinger Productions in order to clear the way for a new petition bv Screen Cartoonists Union, Local 852. Walsh Still Testifying Boston, Jan. 15. — George C. Walsh, Netco theatres official, who began his testimony on Jan. 9 in the Morse and Rothenberg anti-trust suit against the major film companies, spent another whole day on the stand. It is expected that he will end his testimony tomorrow. Radio Brevities NBC television hit a new entertainment high last Friday night with the presentation of "Meet the Wife." Judged by any standards, the television version of that play was highly satisfactory. Some of those who witness television programs regularly called it the best telecast in several months. The weekly play usually provides the best program from an entertainment standpoint. Boxing and wrestling are also popular regular television persentations. Schenectady Station Ready From Schenectady comes word that the new television station, which is to be the first to pick up NBC's television signals and resend them, has been completed and that testing has started. Thus far, however, the testing is on the ground with actual telecasting still a little ways off. 'Harvest' on Air The film "Harvest," whose failure to be mentioned as the N. Y. critics' choice as best foreign film caused such a rumpus last week, will get radio time after all. "Five Star Final," over WMCA Sunday, will dramatize a scene from the film. Program News "Life Begins" will replace "Brenda Curtis" on CBS next Monday for Campbell's Soup. . . . Sterling Products has renewed "Manhattan Merry-GoRound" over NBC-Red for an additional 52 weeks, effective Feb. 4. . . . Following, a successful test last Saturday, CBS is starting a new educational series on its New England network, called "Campus on the Air." Undergraduates from 27 colleges and universities will submit ideas to a 10man undergraduate board. It will be heard Saturdays at 5 P. M. . . . "Orphans of Divorce" has been renewed for an additional 52 weeks by R. L. Watkins Co. for Dr. Lyons tooth powder over NBC-Blue. . . . Personalities in the News Thomas D. Connolly, assistant to Victor M. Ratner, CBS director of sales promotion, speaks today before the Advertising Club of Springfield, Mass. . . . Robert A. Simon, WOR's director of continuities, will conduct a course in radio script writing at N.Y.U. this coming semester. . . . Elmer Davis, CBS news analyst, is making three 12-inch records on events leading up to the war for use in schools and colleges. . . . William Thomas Hamilton, formerly with WNEW, has joined WOR's sales department. . . . Howard Steiner and Bill Watters have formed a new song writing team. Their offices will be in the Park Central Hotel. . . . Fred Allen may appear as guest on "Information, Please" in the near future. . . . Bob Trout will broadcast the President's Birthday Ball for the fifth successive year. Start Work on New Fleischer Cartoon Miami, Jan. 15. — Work started today on a new $1,500,000 feature cartoon at the Fleischer Studio here, to be produced by Max Fleischer, directed by Dave Fleischer and with the writing staff headed by Edmond Seward. As yet untitled, the cartoon will be based on a Greek mythological story, will run seven or eight reels, and will be ready for Paramount release by the Christmas holidays in 1940. FCC Hears Attack On Television Rules Washington, Jan. 15. — Regulations relating to the semi-commercialization of programs were under attack today as representatives of the television industry began presentation of testimony before the F.C.C. in hearings on the new rules. Testimony was directed chiefly to contentions that the rules should be flexible to permit further development in the field. Those represented included Maj. Edwin H. Armstrong, the new Committee on Organization of FM Broadcasters, Allen B. Dumont Laboratories, General Electric, General Television Corp., International Business Machines Corp., Don Lee Broadcasting System, Metropolitan Television Co., Philco, Radio Pictures, Zenith Radio, CBS, RCA and CathRay Laboratories. In its annual report to Congress, the F.C.C. pointed out that technical development "has not reached the stage where it can be standardized in essential details for uniformity." "It appears highly essential that the industry be encouraged to undertake further practical research leading toward the development of methods which will permit more stations to be accommodated in the limited space, as well as facilitating lower costs tin the production of good quality program service to the public," the report added. Carbon Price Boost Defeated in Britain London, Jan. 15. — The Cinematograph Exhibitors Association has won its brief but vigorous fight against the pool of carbon manufacturers which threatened an increase in carbon prices, in conjunction with the rationing of the product. Today the exhibitors won representation on the carbon manufacturers' control committee, and it was agreed that present prices will be retained at least until February. The exhibitors threatened to appeal for the elimination of carbon import duties if their request was not granted. Delay B. & K. Suit Chicago, Jan. 15. — The government suit against Balaban & Katz and the majors was delayed today until April when the Master in Chancery will hear oral argument. The government has filed answers to defense counsels' charges and the Master will now digest the testimony offered during past two I months. Mutual Boosts Size of Board Mutual's board of directors was enlarged over the weekend from seven to nine members to provide representation for additional stockholders whose financial participation in the network was announced several weeks ago. The board re-named all present officers and appointed Lewis AllertT\\ Weiss, of Don Lee, vice-president it^J the West Coast. Shareholders ratified the five-year plan of operations and appointed an operating committee to meet with Fred Weber, general manager. Officers renamed were Alfred J. McCosker, chairman of the board ; W. E. Macfarlane, president ; Theodore C. Streibert, vice-president ; Weiss ; and E. M. Antrim, treasurer and executive secretary. Board members elected were Antrim, WGN; Willett Brown, Don Lee ; H. K. Carpenter, United Broadcasting ; Marfarlane, WGN ; McCosker, WOR; John Shepard III, Colonial network ; Streibert, WOR ; Weiss and Weber. Included on the operating committee are J. E. Campeau, CKLW ; Hulbert Taft, WKRC ; Ed Wood, Jr., WGN ; and Carpenter, Shepard, Streibert and Weiss. Nick Facing Trial On Second Charge St. Louis, Jan. 15. — John P. Nick, deposed head of the local operators' union, who was freed last week on a charge of extorting $10,000 from theatre owners in 1936, faces another extortion charge. He was indicted with his former business agent. Clyde A. Weston, on a charge of allegedly extorting $6,500 from theatre owners in 1937. The case has been set for Feb. 5, and the state is ready to try either defendant. The St. Louis Court of Appeals has under advisement Circuit Judge Ernest Oakley's order ousting Nick and Weston from control of the union and appointing temporary receivers. Munro Roberts, an attorney for a group of union members who intervened in the action, and who has appealed Judge Oakley's order, said yesterday the international union will revoke the local's charter and organize a new local in the event the appellate court upholds Judge Oakley. 6-Day Law Affects Illinois Theatres Springfield, 111., Jan. 15. — State's Attorney General John E. Cassidy today ruled that the state's six-day week law does not apply to radio stations but does affect theatres. Enacted in 1935, the law provides that all employers covered by the act must allow their workers at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in every calendar week. The attorney general held that radio stations do not fall into the classifications of employers provided by the law. Feature Pictures Formed Dover, Del., Jan. 15. — Feature Pictures, Inc., has been formed here to deal in places of amusement. The incorporators are Arthur M. Kreidmann, D. E. Newman and M. L. Ciani of New York City.