Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1941)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY First in NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1941 TEN CENTS wo Awards )n Clearance Are Reversed opeal Board Decides in Boston, L.A. Cases The arbitration appeals board -terday handed down decisions ersing the awards of arbitrators two cases, one brought by Lun Descoteaux on behalf of his rx Theatre, Manchester, N. H., the Boston arbitration board, the ner by O. W. Lewis, owner of Mission Playhouse, San Ga)Sel, Cal., at the Los Angeles ard. Both cases were clearance complaints. The original awards which were reversed by the appeals board consisted of adjustments made in favor of the complainants. The appeal in the Descoteaux case is taken by 20th Century-Fox and (Continued on fane 10) reeze Salaries of imployes in Canada Toronto, Oct. 20. — The salaries and ages of all employes of theatres and stribution companies, with the exI -ption of those rated as company •cecutives, will come under the Govc-nment order requiring the mainte itice of salaries and wages at rates I effect during the four-week period Tided Oct. 11, plus a cost-of-living ,jnus fixed by the Government for all orkers in relation to the living cost idex. Retail prices will remain at fixed •vels under Government control start'jg Nov. 17 but nothing will be done > fix theatre admissions. The ruling provides that strikes will (Continued on page 10) Critic Quits, Charges Probe Copy Changed Don Herold, motion picture critic 3r Scribncr's Commentator, rabid isoitionist magazine, has resigned from is post because, he claimed, his copy .as tampered with to make him look like a Fascist." According to newspaper accounts, ierold charges that certain comments « had made in regard to the Nye"lark subcommittee investigation of -lleged film propaganda, which ap•eared in the magazine's November is■ue, were tampered with. According {Continued on page 8) Disney Will Delay Andersen Stories The Hans Christian Andersen stories which he planned to do in conjunction of Samuel Goldwyn may be delayed indefinitely, Walt Disney indicated here yesterday. He said he believes the pictures require a "world market" to be financially successful, and pointed out that today "we are really working for a world market that has been cut in half." Warners Paid Biof f $100,000 in Cash, Trial Jury Is Told Warner Bros, paid $100,000 in cash to William Bioff during the years 1936 and 1937, according to the testimony of Harry M. Warner, president, and Albert Warner, vice-president and treasurer, given in Federal Court yesterday during the trial of Bioff and George E. Browne. David Bernstein, attorney, yesterday served a summons and complaint in a stockholder's suit against 20th Century-Fox and the board of directors for "wasting" the company funds in making payments to Bioff and Browne. The complaint stated that the "exact amount is unknown" and asks for an accounting. Helen Solomon, holder of 200 shares, is plaintiff in the suit which is brought in N. Y. Supreme Court. A number of similar suits against other companies on (Continued on page 11) MINN. SUES MAJORS ON ANTI-5' BREACH Paramount, RKO and 20th-Fox Are Named In Test Cases Filed by County Attorney; May Take Months to Determine By ROBERT E. MURPHY Minneapolis, Oct. 20. — Test cases designed to furnish the earliest possible ruling on the constitutionality of the Minnesota anti-block-of-five law were begun here today with the issuance of complaints charging Paramount, RKO and 20th Century-Fox with violations of the law. [Attorneys for distribution companies stated in New York yesterday that the cases probably would require several months to conclude. It was said that the actions, on criminal grounds, should provide more definitive and clearcut rulings on the constitutionality of the state law than would the injunctive method. [It was believed that the product shortage already being felt in Minnesota would not be averted by the test cases because of the time required to bring them to a conclusion.] James F. Lynch, Ramsey County Attorney at St. Paul, issued the three separate complaints which were signed by Harold St. Martin, a deputy sheriff. They were served on defendants here with summonses this afternoon. Those served were Ben Blotcky, Paramount district manager ; Louis E. (Continued on page 10) Gov't Charges U.A. and Univ. Aided Crescent Nashville, Oct. 20.— United Artists Corp. today was charged in the Government's findings of fact in the Crescent anti-trust case with having "knowingly aided" Crescent Amusement Co. and other defendants in eliminating or suppressing independent theatre competition in three specific locations and in eliminating competition generally by licensing agreements. Universal Film Exchanges, Inc., the Government claimed, also "knowingly aided" defendants to eliminate (Continued on page 10) Argentine Steaks Mean More Than Films-Disney Allied WillDecide on UnityPlanTomorrow Pittsburgh, Oct. 20. — Adoption by national Allied of the proposed allindustry unity plan will be considered by the board of directors of the national body at a meeting here Wednesday morning, in connection with the convention of Allied of Western Pennsylvania. The regional unit's twoday meeting opens at the Hotel Roosevelt here tomorrow. Registration will take place tomorrow morning, followed by luncheon in the hotel's Blue Room. An open (Continued on page 10) By SHERWIN A. KANE Pan-American relations would require no hypodermic if more juicy, three-inch thick Argentine steaks, prime cuts from baby beef, could be served in the United States at 50 cents a throw, as they are below the equator, Walt Disney indicated in an interview here yesterday following his return from a two-month goodwill visit to Latin America. The increasing industrialization of South America promises an expanding market there for motion pictures. Disney is confident. The continent is being rapidly developed and future immigration is certain to be attracted. Disney was highly impressed with the friendliness of the South Ameri(Continued on page 8) Odeon Link Seen In Deal for G. B. London, Oct. 20. — A closer link between Gaumont British and the Odeon circuit of Oscar Deutsch, two of the largest circuits in Great Britain, is expected as a result of the negotiations now in progress for the acquisition by the owning interests of General Film Distributors of control of Gaumont British. General Film, financed by Arthur Rank and headed by C. M. Woolf, is (Continued on page 8) Doubt Probe Group Inquiry on Radio Washington, Oct. 20. — Observers believe it is extremely doubtful whether the Nye-Clark subcommittee created to inquire into alleged propaganda in films and radio, will investigate radio. Its emphasis has been on films thus far, and leading observers think that it will so continue until the (Continued on page 8)