Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1941)

I TAIert, ntelligen o theN^gtion Picture industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY First in 50. NO. 68 NEW YORK, U.S.A., MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1941 TEN CENTS Jrowne, Bioff Trial Begins )n Wednesday i ATSE Leaders Indicted Under Racket Law ■ Trial of George Browne, president of the IATSE, and William ■lioff, Hollywood leader of the • lion, in the U. S. District Court ire on Federal anti-racketeering .urges is scheduled to begin Wedtsday, it was reported in trade acles yesterday. Originally schedScd to open today, it is now stated at the trial has been put off two ivs because of the illness of the residing judge. Browne and Bioff 'me charged with extorting about i50,000 from four major film •mpanies under threats of strike. ' ' Subpoenas were served recently on major company executives and studio labor leaders, J ordering them to appear to testify for the Government in the (Continued on paye 4) lustoms Examining 411 Imported Films I Every foot of film brought to this untry from abroad, regardless of t-.jigin, is being examined by U. S. jstoms officials at ports of entry, it is learned over the weekend. ci Louis Jackson, president of Anglonerican Films, Ltd., who is here " >m London to set distribution deals r 15 Rook Studio productions, disDsed that the local Customs office s released only one of the pictures the first week that prints have been ' the possession of the office. The :ture approved is "Pimpernel nith," starring Leslie Howard, lich Jackson screened for local dis {(Imtion officials over the weekend d then forwarded to Hollywood. Epidemic Brings Ban In Camden Children | Camden, N. J., Oct. 5.— Until the lantile paralysis danger here sub1 j 'lies, the Warner Circuit and the in, ' pendent Victoria Amusement Co. iffcuit announce they will voluntarily jtlfuse admission to children under 15 tr-ars. The Board of Education will k other theatres to do likewise. Selznick Concludes New United Artists Deal; May Buy Stock Hollywood, Oct. 5. — David O. Selznick today rejoined United Artists. The producer signed an agreement which embodies new arrangements under which he may elect to become a stockholder in the company. It is also stated that under these n e w arrangements, Selznick must receive certain production financing. The contract, under the terms .if which Selznick wiU make from two to four pictures for United Artists, is one of the longest on record. Negotiation of the terms has been going on for several months. Edward Raftery of the New York law firm of O'Brien, Driscoll and (Continued on pane 4) David <>. Selznick Mexico Strike Peace Is Near, N. Y. Hears Home office foreign department officials were advised late Saturday by their Mexico City representatives that a settlement of the Mexican film employes' strike was imminent and that there was an excellent possibility of an agreement before Sunday midnight when the three distributors still operating in Mexico were scheduled to stop film service to theatres. The stoppage would be in accord with the 30-day notice given theatres by the distributors last month in compliance with exhibition contracts and (Continued on paye 4) Lehman Corp. Shows Holdings in Films Three film company stocks are among the shares held in the portfolio of the Lehman Corp., one of the largest investment trusts, a report of that company as of Sept. 30, shows. Robert Lehman is president of the corporation. The motion picture stocks are Paramount, 2,200 common; Warner Bros., 10,000 common ; and RKO, 1,600 preferred. Chicago Exhibitors Discuss Scale Rise Chicago, Oct. 5. — Independent exhibitors in Chicago and surrounding territory are are discussing the possibility of increasing admissions in view of the new Federal tax. At an Illinois Allied meeting Friday some exhibitors suggested increasing scales from 15 cents plus two cents tax to 18 cents plus the tax, while 20-cent houses would increase to 25 cents, including two cents tax. The matter is to be discussed further. J. E. Flynn, M-G-M district manager, addressed Friday's meeting on M-G-M's sales policy. Senate Probe Is Postponed To October 13 Washington, Oct. 5. — Further hearings in the motion picture propaganda probe being conducted by a subcommittee of the Senate have been postponed until Oct. 13. Chairman D. Worth Clark of the subcommittee in a CBS radio address Saturday night said that radio was "eminently fair" but declared that the si bcommittee has "procured evidence" that the film industry is a monopoly, although the extent to which war propaganda lias been utilized in films is undetermined, lie said. The ClarkNye subcommittee has not yet inquired into war propaganda in radio although under the resolution by which it was created that was one of its specific purposes. Last night, an overflow rally of the Fight for Freedom, Inc., attended by 20,000 persons at Madison Square Garden under the auspices of the Screen, Stage and Arts division of that group, confirmed unanimously Actors' Equity resolution calling for immediate dissolution of the NyeClark subcommittee. Wendell Willkie presided at the meeting. On the program were Helen Hayes, Lynn Fontanne, Albert Spalding, Ella Logan, Eddie Cantor, Burgess Meredith, Jack Benny, Tallulah Bankhead, George Jessel, Ethel Merman, Jan Kiepura, Bill Robinson, Carmen Miranda, and Commentators Wythe Williams, Major George Fielding Eliot, George Hamilton Coombs and Johannes Steel. Minn. Anti-5 Statute Held Constitutional Appeal by Six Companies Believed Certain St. Paul, Oct. 5. — Judge Hugo O. Hanft, in Ramsey County District Court here yesterday, upheld constitutionality of the Minnesota anti-block-of-five law and denied a petition by six major film companies for a temporary injunction to halt its enforcement. It was considered a virtual certainty that the decision would be appealed to the State Supreme Court, and, if necessary, to the United States Supreme Court. In a 29-page memorandum Judge Hanft said that 10 or 20 years ago the law might have been unconstitutional, but that in the light of economic and social change, it must be ruled valid. Allied Theatre Owners of the Nothwest hailed the decision as a "signal victory" and called a meeting of its Legislative Committee for tomorrow, when it is expected the committee will demand that the majors seek relief from the consent decree (Continued on paye 4) Scout Reports of 4U'-Nathanson Split Toronto, Oct. 5. — Empire-Universal Films, Ltd., may lose the Universal Pictures franchise for Canada, it is reported here following the resignation of Oscar R. Hanson as president of the company. Empire-Universal is an N. L. Nathanson distributing company. F. J. A. McCarthy, Universal's Canadian sales manager, has been here (Continued on paye 4) 'Valley' May Be Sold Singly or Roadshown Hollywood, Oct. 5. — Indications that 20th Century-Fox may sell "How Green Was My Valley" singly as a roadshow attraction or as a block of one at advanced rentals were seen Friday in the announcement that an experimental run of the picture would start Oct. 23 at the Rivoli in New York at advanced prices. The Oct. 23 date is ahead of any release date contemplated for the film, it was said.