Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1940)

8 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, January 17, 1940 U. S. Film, Radio Services Face Denial of Budget Aid House Committee Defeats $1,055,000 Allowance; FCC Fund Pared Washington, Jan. 16. — Action of the House Appropriations Committee today in refusing an item of $1,055,000 for the Office of Government Reports, is seen as indicating a possibility that funds will be denied for the Federal film and radio services. The Office of Government Reports formerly was under the National Emergency Council. The films and radio services were part of the N.E.C., later being transferred to the office of Education. At the present time these agencies are operating from funds allocated from relief funds. During the last fiscal year, before liquidation of the N.E.C., the Office of Government Reports produced 32 15minute electrical transcriptions of the President, members of the Cabinet and the heads of a number of Federal agencies, which were broadcast by approximately 175 broadcasting stations in 28 states, it was disclosed during hearings before the committee. The bill carried a total of $2,116,340 for the Federal Communications Commission which, while $8,660 less than budget recommendations, was $278,165 more than its current credit. The National Archives was given a total of $920,200, $4,800 under budget estimates but $56,200 more than it has this year. The additional funds, however, will not permit the agency to purchase the reproduction equipment which is necessary for the protection of the motion picture films which are deposited with it. Nearly $200,000 is needed for equipment with which to copy the pictures from the short-lived nitrate film on which they are usually received to the more durable acetate film, it was said. Columbia, Dunphy Talk Distribution Columbia is negotiating with C. J. Dunphy for distribution of the two pictures which the latter announced late last week would be produced in New York. The two films are "Bricks Without Straw," to be directed by Marion Gering, and "Song on Your Bugle." Dunphy said each would be budgeted at $300,000. "Bricks Without Straw" was announced for independent production here last year, with Sylvia Sidney in the leading role, but the production did not materialize. With Canadian Forces Toronto, Jan. 16. — Herbert J. Sweatman, manager of the Community, Kapuskasing, Ont., has left for England to take over wartime duties as manager of the Beaver Club in London, a recreational center for the Canadian Active Service Force. Ira Weingrun Dies New Orleans, Jan. 16. — Ira Weingrun, 60, for six years operator of the Laurel here, died at his home after an illness of several years. His widow, a son, Moritz Weingrun, and a daughter survive. Goddard Selected Trust Trial Judge; Queries Unsettled (Continued from page 1) work, and Judge Goddard have consented to the designation, it was stated. Judge Goddard, a Republican, was appointed to the District Court bench in New York by President Harding in 1923. The trial of the U. S. anti-trust suit against Ascap several years ago was heard by Judge Goddard. No decision was rendered because the Government did not complete its case. In addition, he has passed on a large number of plagiarism suits in the film industry. The designation is important since in civil anti-trust suits the presiding judge must render a decision without a jury. At the hearing before Judge Knox, Colonel William L. Donovan, attorney for RKO, contended that the Government had not lived up to an agreement to postpone prosecution of minor anti-trust suits until the major New York suit had been decided. Answering this claim, Special Assistant Attorney General Paul Williams stated that the Government would be willing to consent to postponements but would not bind itself to a written agreement. Williams claimed that subsequent events might warrant prosecution of local suits. Poor Richard Club Draws Film Names Philadelphia, Jan. 16. — Many picture names will stud the entertainment program tomorrow night at the Poor Richard Club banquet at the BellevueStratford Hotel, annual gathering of the local advertising gentry. Among those scheduled to appear are Eddie Cantor, Helen Morgan, Phil Baker, Lowell Thomas, Edwin C. Hill, Ted Husing, Clay Boland, Bernice Claire, Irene Beasley, Frank Crummit, Frank Parker, Rubinoff, Gracie Fields, Lew Lehr, Margaret Carlisle, Phil Regan and others. The club's 1940 _ Gold Medal Achievement Award will be presented to Dr. Leo S. Rowe, director general of the Pan-American Union. Past recipients of the award included Will Rogers, M. H. Aylesworth, Walt Disney, Will H. Hays and David Sarnoff. Brooklyn Eagle Sold The Brooklyn Daily Eagle has been sold for $483,000 to the F. D. S. Corp., Wilmot L. Morehouse, refereein-bankruptcy, revealed. Frank D. Schroth, present publisher, " is president of the purchasing corporation. Reverts to Films Only Pittsburgh, Jan. 16. — After 18 days of a stage-picture policy, the Senator has reverted to straight films because the vaudeville bills, although drawing better grosses, were insufficient to warrant the added cost. TBS Obtains Cash; Ready to Go on Air Transcontinental Broadcasting System officials said yesterday that the necessary financing for the new network has been obtained and that regular programs would be ready to go on the air Feb. 1, as scheduled. An official announcement is expected today. Jack Warner East Friday for Reunion Jack L. Warner, vice-president in charge of Warner production, will leave the Coast on Friday to be guest of honor at the 69th Regiment reunion at the Waldorf-Astoria on Jan. 24, when Warners' "The Fighting 69th" will be screened. Pat O'Brien and George Brent will accompany him. Several of the film's cast will attend a similar reunion dinner, one of 40 throughout the country, to be held at the Biltmore in Los Angeles. They will include Jeffrey Lynn, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Dennis Morgan, Dick Foran, William Lundigan, Guinn Williams, Frank Wilcox, DeWolf Hopper, Sammy Cohen, Tom Dugan and Harvey Stephens. The New York dinner will be broadcast, the program being picked up at the other affairs. B. G. Shepard, president of the Missouri and Kansas Chapter of the Rainbow Division Veterans, has urged all members to listen in and to see the film at the Kansas City Orpheum. Writers Will Debate Stand on Neely Bill Hollywood, Jan. 16. — Screen Writers Guild members at an open board meeting last night voted not to be stampeded into endorsement of the campaign against the Neely bill and made plans for a meeting to give the writers an opportunity to discuss the proposition. The decision followed several hours of discussion of the bill and principally concerning the clause requiring that exhibitors be furnished with accurate synopses of picture stories. A committee consisting of Wolfe Kaufman, John Howard Lawson, Dore Schary, Ralph Block and Sidney Buchman was appointed to arrange the meeting of all S.W.G. members. Copies of the bill will be sent to the complete guild roster in order to acquaint them with the proposed meas-, ure. Radio Shows to Star Warner, Fox Films Two films will receive Coast-toCoast publicity via radio next week. James Cagney and Pat O'Brien will appear in a dramatization of Warner's "The Fighting 69th" on the Kate Smith hour over CBS on Jan. 26, while Frank McHugh, also in the film, will be interviewed tomorrow by Bing Crosby over CBS. TwentiethFox will provide a radio preview of "Little Old New York" on "Good News of 1940" on Jan. 25. Alice Faye, Richard Greene and Brenda Joyce will be heard. Radio Brevities Council Programs Off WNYC ONE of radio's most popular local programs, the WNYC broadcast of the New York City Council in action, went off the air yesterday after the council voted, 12-to-8, to ban the microphone from the floor of the-Assembly. George Field, program? ^ rector of WEVD, promptly stepped into the breach by offering to permit leaders of the four political parties represented in the Council to participate in a program of comment on the evening of each session. Marriage vs. Career Benay Venuta will be married tomorrow at Sherry's on Park Avenue to Armand Deutsch, advertising agency executive, but she will be on the air, as usual, on the following evening with her Mutual show. Incidentally, the program has been moved forward to 5:30 P. M. Friday to make way for a special feature. Personalities in the News Gene Krupa's band will be heard as sitstainer from the Fiesta Danceteria over CBS and Mutual 10 times weekly, starting Saturday. . . . Everett Hoaglund, who is conducting his orchestra at the Waldorf-Astoria, will do the music for the U.A. film, "My Son, My Son." "Good News" Cut to Half Hour Following the trend toward elimination of full-hour variety shows, "Good News of 1940" will be cut to a half hour on March 7. Meredith Wilson and Fannie Brice are definitely set to remain with the show, the agency says, but nothing has been decided about the rest of the talent, with a decision due late this week. Vallee Returning to Air Rudy Vallee, who found himself without a sponsor for the first time in many years when Standard Brands cancelled, was signed late Monday by National Dairy Products for Sealtest. Program details are not complete, but it will be an informal variety show, and will occupy the 9 :30 P. M. spot left vacant by "Good News." Mutual Adds Two Mutual will add two new stations, in addition to WTAL, Atlanta, which has been previously announced, to its list of affiliated stations on Sunday. WMPS, Memphis, operated by the Scripps-Howard Press-Scimitar, and WTJS, Jackson, Tenn., operated by publishers of the Jackson Sun, are the two stations. After allowance for the dropping of 11 Texas State stations, Mutual now has 117 affiliates. Green Renewed on Three Shows Philip Morris cigarettes have renewed Johnny Green on all three programs. Green is heard Tuesdays in "Johnny Presents" over NBCRed, in "Breezing Along" Wednesdays on NBC-Blue, and "Johnny Presents" Fridays on CBS.