Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1941)

Alert, InteWgei awfy lh^ispe>f to the^l cjtion Picture Industry MOTION PICTUKf DAILY VOL. 49. NO. 3 NEW YORK, U.S.A., MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 1941 TEN CENTS Gov't Music Trial Delayed Until Spring Due to Crowded Calendar In Milwaukee Court Milwaukee, Jan. 5. — The Government's projected criminal proceedings against Ascap, NBC, CBS, and B.M.I, on anti-trust charges, which may be filed here this week, cannot come to trial before Spring because of the crowded condition of the local Federal court calendar during January and February. This was learned following Government statements in Washington and New York last week that the action would be instituted here instead of in New York because an early trial could not be obtained in the latter city. The Government is expected to file a criminal information instead of laying the case before the grand jury, which will not convene here until Jan. 14. Under this procedure, it was said, the Government would not be compelled to bring witnesses from (Continued on page 8) Weshner to UA as Exploitation Chief David E. (Skip) Weshner, supervisor of key-run theatres for Warner Bros., in Philadelphia, will leave that company on Jan. 10, to take a new position with United Artists here, that of director of exploitation. The appointment was made by Monroe Greenthal, director of advertising and publicity. Maurice Gable, manager of the Boyd, Philadelphia, has been appoint (Continued on page 4) 300 at Presentation Of Critics' Awards The New York Film Critics presented their 1940 awards before 300 guests at a cocktail party at the Rainbow Room yesterday afternoon. Bosley Crowther of the New York Times, president of the critics, was master of ceremonies. The ceremonies were broadcast (Continued on page 4) Four Reviews Today A Hollywood review of "The Saint in Palm Springs" and New York reviews of "Wyoming Wildcat," "Break the News" and "Hotel du Nord" will be found on Page 5. Atlas-Meehan Deal 7,000 KAO Shares In the deal recently made between Atlas Corp. and M. J. Meehan, Atlas purchased outright approximately 7,000 shares of the Keith-AlbeeOrpheum preferred stock held by Meehan. This is about 25 per cent of the total Meehan holdings in KAO preferred. Atlas is reported to have paid about $725,000 for this stock. The remaining shares held by Meehan are under option, by terms of the same deal, for an aggregate amount of approximately $2,500,000, according to Wall Street authorities. 20th-Fox to Stress U.S. Themes: Zanuck Chicago, Jan. 5. — Twentieth Century-Fox will produce films stressing American themes and with Latin American appeal in an effort to regain some of the revenue lost in foreign markets, Darryl F. Zanuck, vice-president in charge of production, said here while passing through en route East. He expressed the belief that "Tobacco Road" would be the most successful picture produced by the company. (Continued on page 4) 'IT Will Deliver 63 Promised for Season: Blumberg Hollywood, Jan. 5. — Universal will deliver its full schedule of 63 pictures for the current season, Nate J. Blumberg, president, said today at the end of the second week of studio production conferences in which home office and production executives are participating. Blumberg said that 39 of the 63 pictures promised have been completed and that eight more will have been finished by the, middle of February, leaving 16 pictures to be produced between Feb. IS and Aug. 31. Strong Production Position "Our production position has never been better," Blumberg said. "The exhibitor response to our current season's program has encouraged us to increase budgets and elaborate plans on quite a few of the remaining productions for the season." Participating with Blumberg in the conferences, which will continue through this week, are : W. A. Scully, Joseph Seidelman, Lou Pollock and Adolph Schimel from the home office, and Cliff Work, Matthew J. Fox, John Joseph and other studio officials. J. Cheever Cowdin, Universal board chairman, who was called to New York last week, is expected to rejoin the conferees within a few days. 2,500 Theatres Join Film Committee to Aid Defense Approximately 2,500 theatres have joined the Theatres Division of the Motion Picture Committee Cooperating for National Defense, headed by Joseph Bernhard, general manager of Warner Theatres. The committee is seeking a signed pledge of cooperation from every exhibitor in the country. Harry Brandt is chairman of the organization committee supervising the field work. The committee has prepared plaques to be hung in the box-office Joseph Bernhartl window of every theatre cooperating. The plaque, in a color scheme of red, white and blue, and surmounted by the figure of an eagle, indicates that the theatre is a member of the Theatres Division in the cooperative defense effort. E. V. Richards is co-chairman of the division, which includes the following : Executive Committee — Joseph Bernhard, E. V. Richards, A. H. Blank, Harry Brandt, Si Fabian, John H. Harris, Ed Kuykendall, C. C. Moskowitz, Sam E. Morris, John J. O'Connor, R. J. O'Donnell, Spyros Skouras, R. B. Wilby, Nathan Yamins. Coordinating Committee — R. B. Wilby, chairman ; A. H. Blank, C. C. Moskowitz, E. V. Richards, Spyros Skouras. Organisation Committee ■ — Harry Brandt, chairman ; John H. Harris, (Continued on page 4) New Booking, Blind Buying Bill in House Rep. Culkin's Measure Similar to Others Washington, Jan. 5. — A bill to prohibit block booking and blind buying was introduced in the House on Friday by Rep. Francis D. Culkin of Oswego, N. Y., who had a similar measure last session. This was one of more than 1,100 bills introduced on the first day of the new session. Rep. Culkin has been introducing similar "catch-all" bills for the past several sessions, all providing for sweeping reforms in production, distribution and exhibition. They have received little support. There were no administration tax bills introduced, although it is expected that the Treasury will seek an increase in present taxes, including the admission tax. Most of the measures introduced Friday were pending before Congress (Continued on page 4) 4Big 5' Dismissed In Nashville Case Nashville, Jan. 5. — The five major companies which are parties to the Government's consent decree in the New York anti-trust suit were dismissed on Friday as defendants in the Federal anti-trust suit pending here against Crescent Amusement. The dismissals, approved by Federal Judge Elmer Davies, were made (Continued on page 4) Selznick Completes New Organization Hollywood, Jan. 5. — Organization of David O. Selznick Productions was completed here yesterday with the election of officers. The new company replaces the recently dissolved Selznick International, Inc. Officers are : Selznick, president ; (Continued on page 4) 1940 Stocks Review A review of motion picture stock movements during 1940 and a tabulation showing the prices of film securities comparatively over a five-year period are on Page 6.