Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1941)

Mert, nteiligent-. ln^ispensab)« to the TVtation Picture industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY 50. NO. 71 NEW YORK. U.S.A., THURSDAY. OCTOBER 9, 1941 TEN CENTS iov't Opens Trial Against Browne, Biof f orrea Details Indictment In Extortion Case The trial of George E. Browne. \TSE president, and William ioff, his personal representative, !n extortion charges, started yes-rday hefore Federal Judge John . Knox with the selection of a iry. Mathias F. Correa. U. S. attorney, made his opening statelent outlining the Government's ase and it will he followed this horning by the opening statements f Martin Conboy, Browne's attor (Continucd on page 4) Browne -Bioff Trial Jury The names and occupations of jury selected yesterday for the Browne-Bioff trial are: Paul D. Thome, foreman: cashier for Western Union. Francis L. Corcoran, connected with Rockefeller Center. John McKeown Stebbins, production man with the New Yorker Magazine. James D. Banks, life insurance broker. -Murray J. Dunn, tester for the N. Y. Telephone Co. Ezra Koster Wickman, executive of the Commonwealth Fund. Paul Fisher, mortgage broker. Arthur Otten, clerk of the Texas Co. Frank James Hannon, margin clerk of Havden, Stone Co. Robert H. Celander. buyer for the Consolidated Edison Co. Warner L. Overton, telephone engineer. Otto Detmer Sutter, sales manager of A. E. Staley Manufacturing Co. The two alternate jurors are: William McKnight Bowman, an architect, and Philip F. Barrington, advertising executive. J. H. Whitney Is Due From Goodwill Trip; Praised by Reisman Hollywood, Oct. 8. — John HayWhitney, head of the film division of the I". S. Committee for Inter-American Relations, will return to this country from South America next Monday. He will arrive in Miami where he will be met by his assistant Frank Alstock, and the two will then proceed by train to New York. Phil Reisman, vice-president of RKO, in charge of foreign sales, in a press interview yesterday praised the work being done by the W hitney group in improving inter-American relations. Reisman was in South America during much of the time that Whitney was there. Reisman had left this country a day or two prior to Whitney's departure and while in (Continued on page 4) Independent Radio Stations to Organize Chicago, Oct. 8. — Independent regional broadcasters representative of 26 stations affiliated with the major networks agreed at a two-day meeting at the Drake Hotel here on the immediate need of an organization of independent broadcasters to protect their interests. Cited as problems concerning which protection is needed are the demands of the super-power applicants, the de(Continucd on page 8) Arnold Remains in Post, Says Biddle Washington, Oct. 8.— Thurman Arnold will continue as head of the anti-trust division, Attorney General Francis Biddle said today. He said that reports of a divergence of views between himself and Arnold had been overemphasized, that the>T did not involve major policies on antitrust law enforcement and that, so far as he knew, Arnold did not plan to resign. Ascap Seeks New Sources For Revenue Ascap is surveying possible new fields of music performance rights for sources of new revenue to help offset the decreased radio network returns to the society under its new contract, and soon may attempt to tap the juke box, television and other fields, it was learned. No increase of music license rates to theatres is under consideration, however, it was learned. Ascap officials regard theatre rates as equitable and as offering no promise of further exploitation. Reorganization of the society's man (Continued on page 8) Industry to Aid in Setting Up Show Circuit for Camps NBC Artists Service Sale Negotiations Off All current negotiations for the sale of NBC's artist management business and concert service have been terminated, Xiles Trammell, XBC president, disclosed yesterday. Trammell made the disclosure following many inquiries which resulted from Tuesday's announcement of the appointment of new officers for Civic Concert Service, Inc., and for the concert division of the network. In a letter to artists under NBC management notifying them that Marks Levine had been named managing director of the concert division, Trammell assured them that the "same policy" would be continued. Washington, Oct. 8.— Establishment of a regular circuit of shows for men in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps was agreed upon today at a conference of representatives of the motion picture and radio industries and the legitimate stage with high officials of the War and Navy departments. Meeting with the determination to provide camp entertainment on a permanent basis, the group accomplished in one day what it had been expected would require two days to do, and broke up with the understanding that definite plans for die shows would be announced following further consultations with various groups which are to participate. The Citizens Committee for the (Continued on page 4) Senate Probe Postponed; No New Date Set Senator Clark Would Not Affirm Abandonment Washington, Oct. 8. — Hearings into alleged film propaganda scheduled to be resumed next Monday were today called off by Sen. D. Worth Clark of Idaho, chairman of the Senate investigating subcommittee. The chairman would not say that the hearings were to be abandoned entirely. In announcing postponement of the hearings, Clark said the subcommittee "will meet again in the near future, subject to the call of the chair and just as soon as he can get the members together." In a radio address last Saturday night he declared his intention of going on with the investigation despite opposition and the lack of funds. Clark attributed his decision to postpone the inquiry to the absence (Continued on page 4) Unity in Industry Is Urged by Richey Detroit, Oct. 8. — A strong plea for industry unity featured the address of H. M. Richeyr, director of exhibitor relations for M-G-M and assistant to William F. Rodgers, general sales manager, before the annual convention of Allied of Michigan at the BookCadillac Hotel here today. "I believe that the industry is being driven closer and closer together by the emergency," said Richey. "Attacks from the outside, efforts at unreasonable taxation which would be confiscatory if adopted, the realization (Continued on page 4) U.A. Partners Meet Is Scheduled Today United Artists partners are scheduled to meet here today to discuss a new administrative setup for the company, including the designation of a president. David O. Selznick is expected today from Chicago, but if his arrival is delayed the meeting will be postponed until tomorrow, it was stated. Already here for the meeting are Alexander Korda and Mary Pickford. Charles Chaplin is expected tomorrow.