Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1941)

DO N MOTION PICTURE DAILY First in and Impartial 50. NO. 82 NEW YORK. U.S.A.. FRIDAY. OCTOBER 24. 1941 TEN CENTS eport W.B. 3ut Bernhard Over Sales >ars Remains, His Talks With U. A. Ended •Joseph Bernhard. general manner of Warner Bros, theatres, it is reported last night, will assume rw and more important duties as neral manager of the company. that capacity sales a> well as gatres will come under his juris;tion. Gradwell L. Sears, who s been in charge of distribution. 11 continue under Bernhard. Discussions between Sears and United Artists officials concerning the presidency of U. A. are understood to have been ended, with Sears remaining at : Warner Bros. Benjamin Kalniensoii. Southern and 'estern division manager, who was iiave been elevated as assistant to ;rnhard, continues in his position *der Sears. Termination of the talks with Sears t the United Artists presidency subantiates Motion' Pictcre Daily's irtes of Wednesday and yesterday liat no deal was imminent and that e choice of a United Artists presi:nt is not likely to be made until the (Continued on page 6) Jenies Dismissal of Jrowne, Bioff Case Federal Judge John C. Knox yesrday denied all defense motions for . rected verdicts of "not guilty" in the •ctortion trial of George E. Browne id William Bioff. The defense will start its testimony .: 10:30 A.M. today. According to 'eorge Breslin. attorney for Bioft', le defendants will take ahuut two •eeks to present their side. Bioff is •most likely'' to take the stand on his 'wn behalf, Breslin said, and there be from 15 to 20 witnesses, in(Continued on page 3) Guild Sues Studios For 6,000 Extras, Claiming Overtime Hollywood, Oct. 23. — What might be the greatest bookkeeping headache in Hollywood's history was filed today in Federal Court. On behalf of its some i>, nun extra player member.-, the Screen Actors Guild brought action against 14 production companies seeking what may amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in back pay, overtime and penalties under provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The suit actually names some 1,000 players and specifies amounts assertedly due them for overtime in working in excess of 44, 42 and 40 hours weekly since inception of the act. If brought to trial without compromise, the action may result in each company producing records in Federal Court showing that each of the 6,000 Guild members has or has not worked in excess of the statutory limitation. Defendants are Alexander Korda Films, 20th Centurv-Fox, Universal, Columbia, M-G-M, RKO, Republic, Warners, Paramount. Wanger, Roach, Selznick, Small, and Goldwyn. The Guild started negotiations with producers for overtime assertedly due {Continued on page 6) Willkie Honor Guest At Pioneers Dinner Wendell L. Willkie has accepted an imitation to attend the Fall conference dinner of the Picture Pioneers as guest of honor, Jack Cohn, head of the film veterans' organization, stated yesterday. The dinner will be held at Toots Shor's restaurant next Wednesday evening. Due to the large number of reservations already made, attendance will be limited to members of Picture Pioneers, Cohn stated. Minn. Anti-5 Trial Slated for Nov. 24 St. Paul, Oct. 23.— Trial of the actions charging Paramount, RKO and 20th Century-Fox with violating the state's anti-block-of-five law today was set for Nov. 24 after attorneys for the companies entered not guilty pleas in Ramsey County district court here. The late trial date was asked so that the defendants could determine whether or not they wish to demur. The attorneys in pleading not guilty reserved the right to withdraw the plea in event a demurrer action is brought. Para. Petitions Decree Escape On Minn. Sales Paramount yesterday obtained an order from Federal Judge Henry W. Goddard in U. S. District court here to show cause why the company should not be exempted from the sales provisions of the consent decree to permit it to sell in Minnesota while the constitutionality of the state's anti-block-of-five law is being tested in the courts. The order is returnable Oct. 31 before Judge Goddard, at which time Thomas D. Thacher, counsel for the company, will argue the merits of the petition. It was reported yesterday that two consenting companies might oppose the Paramount petition at the hearing but confirmation of the report was not obtainable. It was said that opposi(Continucd on page 6) Managers Hosts at Party in Pittsburgh PiTTSBi RGH, Oct. 23. — Local exhange managers will be hosts at the nnual banquet of the Pittsburgh Yaiety Club in the club's quarters Nov. following the Pitt-burgh-Ohio State ootball game. In the past John H. Harris, national chief barker, has been (Continued on page 7) Inquiry Subcommittee Members Doubt Early Meeting to Decide Its Future Washington, Oct. 23. — Members of the Senate propaganda investigating committee today expressed doubts whether they would be able to get together next week to decide upon the future of their investigation of motion pictures. While Senator Charles W. Tobey of New Hampshire, who has been out of the city for some time, is due to return to Washington Monday, Chairman D. Worth Clark said there was some question whether the group could meet because of the scheduled debate on Neutrality Act revision. The original plan was for the committee to get together, probably on Monday, to make arrangements for viewing some of the pictures which have been discussed and for resumption of hearings on Nov. 3. Majors to Get $20,000,000 Fr om England Base Is 50% Annual Gross Of Last Two Years London, Oct. 23. — The eight major American distribution companies will be authorized to withdraw $20,000,000 from England under the new monetary agreement for the year beginning next Monday, it was reliably reported here today. The withdrawal amount, representing 50 per cent of the companies' annual British business during the past two years, is said to have been tentatively agreed upon by Board of Trade, United States Embassy and company representatives, but still requires the formal approval of the Treasury. An announcement by the latter is regarded as imminent. [Motion Picture Daily reported Oct. 15 that 50 per cent of the major companies' British revenue, made up of release of (Continued on page 7) Report $3,600,000 As GB Deal Figure London, Oct. 23. — It is understood here that the deal by which General Film Distributors interests would take control of Gaumont British from the Ostrer Brothers involves £900,000 (approximately $3,600,000). The deal is expected to be closed momentarily, with all details understood to be settled. Existing operations are expected to remain as they are. Arthur Rank of General Film, financing the deal, who will be chairman of the new setup, also is a director of the Odeon Circuit. Companies Save U.S. Money on S.A. Trips Washington, Oct. 23. — Traveling expenses of motion picture personalities who have made recent tours of South America in cooperation with Nelson Rockefeller have been borne by their companies, it was disclosed today by officials in the office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. As a result, it was pointed out, the (Continued on page 6)