Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1940)

DO NOT REMOVE Alert, tion Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY First in and Impartial V-^ 47. NO. 22 NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1940 TEN CENTS Most of British Film Laws Will i Remain, Belief Retention of Quota Seen; Council Acts Today London, Jan. 29. — The bulk of the existing British film legislation, including the quota stipulations, is expected to be retained during the war. Strong sentiment for retention of the quota provisions is understood to exist in the Films Council, which tomorrow will consider details of proposed new legislation. Establishment of a Governmentsponsored Film Credit Bank to complement rather than displace the quota is believed a probable development. It is also considered a likelihood that the Government will enact a plan by Oliver Stanley, former president of the British Board of Trade, for a quota based on expenditure, and not footage as now exists. Cohn Heads Film Aid for Hospital Jack Cohn, vice-president of Columbia, has been appointed chairman of the Motion Pictures and Entertainment Division for a dinner at the Astor Feb. 25 in honor of Paul Felix Warburg and for the benefit of the National Jewish Hospital, Denver. Cohn has named a committee to assist him, as follow : George J. Schaefer, David Bernstein, Leo Brecher, Jules E. Brulatour, Eddie Cantor, Donald Flamm, Will H. Hays, Marcus Heiman, Alfred J. McCosker, B. S. Moss, Paul Moss, William S. Paley, Martin Quigley, Walter Reade, Saul E. Rogers and Alex Yokel. Vice-chairman of the dinner will be Louis Nizer. The affair will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the hospital, an interfaith institution which has provided free medical care for more than 25,000 poor persons suffering from tuberculosis. Neely Foes, Friends Press Their Drives Speakers, pamphlets and letters to Congressmen constitute the campaign of opponents and proponents of the Neely bill which is pending in the House. About 50,000 copies of a pamphlet titled "Do You Want Them to Kill the Movies?"' have been circulated by Ampa through distribution branches, (Continued on page 6) Evidence Completed On 178th Trial Day Boston, Jan. 29. — Evidence was completed today in the Masters' hearing of the Morse and Rothenberg antitrust suit against the major film companies. The hearing will reopen late in March when both sides will argue the case. Today was the 178th day of the hearing. 'Wrath' and 469th' Join Broadway Hits Aided by top notch advertising and publicity campaigns, "The Grapes of Wrath" and "The Fighting 69th" were added to the list of Broadway smash hits during the past week. First run business continued at a high level over the weekend with top grosses being recorded despite the wintry blasts. The weather, although cold and windy, was clear and bright. "The Blue Bird" did near capacity business on a two-a-day basis at the Hollywood, "The Shop Around the Corner" opened strong at the Music Hall, while "Gone With the Wind" continued its pace at the Astor and the Capitol. At the Roxy, "Brother Rat and a Baby" with a stage show, should draw an estimated $34,000 for the first week. "Remember the Night," with Bob Chester's band on the stage, drew an estimated $18,000 over the weekend and should finish its second stanza at the Paramount tonight with an estimated $35,000. It will be held for a third week. With Paul Whiteman's band on the (Continued on page 2) FORMULA DRAFTED FOR REMITTANCES Industry Leaders At Judging Today Of Quigley Awards Herman Wobber, general sales manager of 20th CenturyFox; Louis W. Schine, vice-president of Schine Theatres, and Alex Manta, president of Indian Illinois Theatres, will head the list of speakers at the Quigley Awards q luncheon at the Herman Wobber Hotel Astor today. The luncheon will follow the judging of the entries in the sixth annual Quigley Grand Awards competition, Martin Quigley, as toastmaster, also will introduce A-Mike Vogel, chairman of the Managers' Round Table of Motion Picture Herald, under whose supervision the award competition is conducted. More than 45 home office and outof-town executives have accepted invitations to act as contest judges. Among the executives who will be (Continued on page 6) "Pinocchio" (Walt Disney-RKO) Hollywood, Jan. 29. — Walt Disney has done it again. The creator of the first cartoon feature and his staff held a press audience completely enthralled this afternoon in Hollywood as their second effort was unfolded on the screen for what seemed to those present a far too short 85 minutes. The all-pervasive type of Disney magic has never been more evident than in this fable of the wooden marionette who comes to life, is led astray, finally proves his bravery and unselfishness and is rewarded by being made a real little boy. Nor is Pinocchio himself the only essential figure, with Figaro, the kitten; Cleo, the goldfish, and Jiminy Cricket, the puppet's conscience, all pressing the wooden protagonist for screen honors in a manner reminiscent of the scene-stealing activities of "Dopey," "Sneezy" and "Grumpy" of the Seven Dwarfs. The characters, the essential charm and imagination of the story, the superb animation and color, the music, both thematic and background, all (Continued on page 7) Seven Majors Approve Division of $17,500,000 Allowed by Britain Major companies evolved in New York yesterday the formula determining what amount of $17,500,000, approved by the British government as exportable revenue, each will share. This formula, which covers only rentals for Americanmade films distributed in Britain, will be transmitted immediately to London for the approval of the Government. With such official sanction, the companies will be permitted to remove the cash to the United States. British-made pictures distributed by the American firms do not figure in this formula. A company such as United Artists, which distributes a number of British-made pictures besides American-made films in England, might otherwise have shared to a much greater degree. The amount to be withdrawn by each company is known only to that company, and some of them have not yet been notified, according to inquiry. The $17,500,000 represents one-third of the approximately $50,000,000 annual gross income of the American companies in Britain, and about 50 per cent of the net rentals. Universal is not a party to the formula because its films are handled by a British company on a special basis. The formula of withdrawal is based (Continued on page 8) Warners' Chicago Meeting Saturday Warners' annual mid-season sales conference will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Blackstone Hotel, Chicago, with Gradwell L. Sears, general sales manager, presiding. About 60 will attend, including home office executives, district managers, branch heads and the field exploitation staff. A review of sales progress to date and merchandising plans for current and forthcoming product will feature the discussions. The home office contingent will leave Friday for Chicago. It will include, in addition to Sears, S. Charles Einfeld, director of advertising and publicity; Carl Leserman, assistant general sales manager; Mort Blumenstock, Eastern publicity and advertising manager; Roy Haines, Eastern (Continued an page 2)