Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1946)

FIRSin MOTION PICTURE | IN FILM NEWS DAILY 59. NO. 26 NEW YORK, U.S.A., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1946 TEN CENTS Carpenters to Revive Studio Labor Dispute Will Ask Right to 'Build' Sets 'I A' Would 'Erect Hollywood, Feb. 5. — Further studio labor trouble appeared to be brewing today when Carpenters Local 946, which on Sunday voted to abide by the AFL executive council's jurisdictional directive, announced that it would demand the right to "build" all sets and would permit IATSE craftsmen to "erect" them after being built. The carpenters, according to Joseph Cambiano, their representative, will not strike immediately if not given the duties they ask but are "working on a plan for further action." Today's assertion that the word "erect" had been misinterpreted during the long series of jurisdictional meetings here and also during the AFL council meeting in Miami last week, came as a surprise to the studios and other unions and was generally credited with little chance of eventual acceptance as a serious chal(Continued on page 4) Top French Films To Get Tax Rebate By MAURICE BESEY Paris, Feb. 3 (By Air Mail)— All French films classified as "A" in quality by the new Conseil Superieur du Cinema, which is composed of government officials and members of the film industry, will receive a tax rebate, based on the theatre gross, and running from eight to 12 percent. Approximately 20 films, one quarter {Continued on page 4) M-G-M Sales Chiefs Call Sales Meetings M-G-M's five division managers will hold two-day meetings with district and branch managers in their respective territories to review the recent New York series of conferences among salesmen and exploiteers. The West Coast group will meet Feb. 1314, the others on Feb. 11-12. The meetings are slated as follows : E. K. O' Shea's Eastern division, {Continued on page 7) Isador Lubin Heads CRI Formal announcement of the election of Dr. Isador Lubin, former U. S. Commisisoner of Labor Statistics, to the presidency of Confidential Reports, Inc., was made yesterday by John J. O'Connor, vice president o f Universal and interim head of CRI, at a luncheon at the Sherry Netherlands Hotel here which was attended by sales executives of the six member companies of CRI and trade press representatives. In introducing Dr. Lubin, O'Con(Continued on page 7) Harris & Ewing Isador Lubin Video 's Film Costs High Costs of pictures made for television will be as high as those made for theatres, with 35mm preferrable over 16mm, according to Paul Alley, NBC television producer in charge of film programs, and editor of NBC's television newsreel. Alley and Burke Crotty, producer in charge of NBC television mobile units, addressed members of. the American Television Society at a panel discussion luncheon on "Television (Continued on page 6) Canada Admissions Ceiling Stays; Ban on Raises Off Ottawa, Feb. 5. — The Canadian government will grant no relief to theatres in the removal of price restrictions on the lengthy list of commercial articles and business services, including some 500 commodities and trade activities upon which restrictions had been imposed under wartime orders. Theatre admission scales were frozen as of the basic period back in 1940 and will continue to be fixed indefinitely although the exhibition of films had originally been included under trade services, many of which have now been granted price-charging freedom. In modifying the price controls, it was pointed out officially that the merchandise and trade services affected no longer are influenced by a short supply, but the argument has been advanced that film entertainment is not {Continued on page 4) Canada War Taxes Kept Ottawa, Feb. 5. — The Dominion government intends to continue with the federal amusement tax in peace time as a source of revenue. This was stated following a Dominion-provincial tax conference here at which the provinces sought the return of tax fields which had been absorbed by central authorities for war financing. Before the war provincial governments had considered amusement taxation as an exclusive right but the Do (Continued on page 4) Cohns, Schenck, Warners, Cowdin in Stock Deals Philadelphlia, Feb. 6. — A net increase of 48,408 shares in the holdings of Columbia Pictures common stock by Harry Cohn was the largest of a number of year-end transactions bv officers and directors of film companies in the securities of their own corporations, and reported today by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cohn received 48,500 shares by a stock dividend and purchased 100 shares, disposing of 200 shares by gift, leaving him with 145,425 shares. The Columbia report also showed the acquisition of 16,148 shares of common by Jack Cohn, as a stock dividend, and the disposition of 150 shares by gift, leaving him with 48,294 shares. His several trust accounts also participated in the stock dividend, the Ralph Cohn Trust receiving 2,525 shares, giving it a total of 7,575 shares ; the Joseph Cohn Trust 2,134 gift shares, giving it 6,403 shares ; the Jeannette Cohn Trust, 602 shares, for a total of 1,807 shares, and the Robert (Continued on page 7) Exchange Help Asking 40% Wage Boost Demands May Run Even Higher for Many Wage increase demands of a number of the 30-odd IATSE front-office film exchange locals, representing some 3,000 "white collarites" of nine film companies run as high as 40 per cent, and possibly more, Motion Picture Daily learned here yesterday as exchange supervisors and "IA" representatives started negotiations on the demands. Reductions in the present work week of 40 hours by five hours to 35, and adjustments in. job classifications which, when added to new scales being sought, would add up to 40 per or more in increased pay, are also being sought by some of the locals. Although both sides refused to comment yesterday upon the demands — which are generally being sought to be made retroactive to Dec. 1, 1944 — it is learned that the "IA" transmitted demands of the individual locals to exchange heads without making any attempt to correlate them into any overall document. It is considered unlikely that the exchange heads will be able to start (Continued on page 4) 8-12 Coming from ABPC, French Says Predicting that it will be a year and a half before British production gets back to a full-time basis, Harold French, Associated British Pictures producer-director, disclosed here yesterday that his company will make from eight to 12 pictures in the period between July, 1946, and July, 1947. French is here from London to survey American film technique, purchase studio equipment and procure American talent for his films in England. French, who has a three-year contract with ABPC, said that he plans (Continued on page 6) In This Issue "Sentimental Journey" is reviewed on page 4. Estimated key city grosses are on page 6. \