Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1945)

10 Motion Picture Daily Monday, March 26, 1945 Cowan Plans Film On Correspondents Lester Cowan announces that his next film will be "Free Press," a story of the newspaper combat correspondents throughout the world, an idea which grew out of a meeting recently held in New York by Cowan ; Kent Cooper, of Associated Press ; Hugh Baillie, United Press ; Joseph V. Connolly, of International News Service ; Cranston Williams, general manager of American Newspaper Publishers Association, and John S. Knight, publisher of the Knight Newspapers and president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. George J. Schaefer, recently named chairman of the board of Cowan Productions in charge of worldwide distribution, is expected to leave for the Coast soon to see Ernie Pyle's "Story of G.I. Joe," and for further discussions on "Free Press," which will be budgeted at $2,000,000. Distribution has not been set on the film ; United Artists distributed Cowan's previous two productions. Di Costanzo Rent Bill Passed by Assembly Albany, March 25. — The DiCostanzo bill extending commercial rent control in New York City was passed in the Assembly Friday and sent to Governor Dewey for approval, with a freeze date that remains at the levels of June 1, 1944. Theatres Must Show Film Records to Distributors (Continued from page 1) centage pictures where an exhibitor refuses to permit the contractual right of inspection. The 27 exhibitors had sought an injunction to bar the distributors from examining their books on alleged fraudulent returns on percentage pictures. The exhibitors had also sought a declaratory judgment on the basis that percentage contracts violate the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. The Federal Court ruling is said to clear the way for the eight distributors to press almost 150 counter claims which have been filed against the 27 exhibitors involved. It will also enable the distributors to secure access to the exhibitors' records of receipts derived on each of 25,000 days of some 7,000 separate percentage pictures involved in the counter claims. Loew's and 20th Century-Fox have each brought 24 such claims ; Paramount, 23 ; Universal, 19; RKO Radio, 18; Warner Bros., 17 ; Columbia, 14 and United Artists, 9. Answers by the eight distributors in countering the attempt of the exhibitors to obtain an injunction and a declaratory judgment pointed out that the exhibitors had gone into Court asking for equitable relief because of alleged fraudulent practices in connection with percentage contracts about which they were complaining. The distributors had counter-claimed against all of the exhibitors served with percentage pictures for the same damages as had originally been sought by the eight distributors from the exhibitors operating the Arcade and Colonial theatres in Pittsburgh as the Carson Amusement Co. The original eight actions by the distributors against Carson Amusement had been on the basis of alleged fraudulent misrepresentation of receipts on percentage pictures exhibited, and punitive damages were sought. Deane Carroll to Be Feted Baltimore, March 25. — Deane Carroll, singing starlet now on a Midwest tour of film theatres, will be welcomed home by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Women's Club when she returns to Baltimore in May for an engagement at the Hippodrome Theatre here. ITT in Newsreel Deal Harry J. Rothman, chairman of the board of International Theatrical and Television Corp., reports that the company has consummated a deal with All American (Negro) News for world 16mm and television rights on the weekly newsreels produced by that company. UA Sets Release Dates on 6 Films Hollywood, March 25. — National release dates, ranging from March 31 to May 25 on six United Artists features were announced here by Carl Leserman, UA's general sales manager. Of the six, all are completed and one is in color. The releases announced by Leserman are: March 31, "Delightfully Dangerous," a Charles R. Rogers Production ; April 7, "Brewster's Millions," an Edward Small Production ; , April 21, "It's in the Bag," Jack H. \ Skirball Production; May 4, "Colonel Blimp," a British Rank-Archers Production, in color, written, produced and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger; May 18, "Hold Autumn in Your Hand," a LoewHakim Production, and May 25, "The Great John L," a Bing Crosby Production. The company had been forced to withhold releases for weeks because of a raw stock shortage for prints. Testimonial Dinner For Al Suchman Al Suchman, member of the buying committee of the Schine Circuit, will be given a testimonial dinner tomorrow evening at the Elm, Gloversville, N. Y., on his leaving to join Independent Theatre Service, Inc., here as film buyer. Joe Lynch of the Schine Gloversville office, is in charge of arrangements.