Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1946)

FIRST IN FILM NEWS MOTK^ DAi MOTION PICTURE ASSOC . OF AMERICA, 23 WEST 44TH ST., NEW YORK, B, Y. (6 COPIES) E JL Accurate Concise and Impartial 60. NO. 80 NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1946 TEN CENTS Odeon Sets 64 New Canadian Houses: Davis Four-Year Program to Cost $6,000,000 Toronto, Oct. 21. — John Davis, of London, managing director of the J. Arthur Rank Organization, revealed here today that the Canadian Odeon Circuit, in which Rank holds considerable interests, has drawn up a four-year construction program with 64 new theatres projected for that period at an aggregate cost of $6,000,000. These theatres added to the present Odeon units would eventually mean 169 houses for the circuit in the Dominion. Deadline for the Odeon Carlton, which would serve as the downtown "showcase" in Toronto, had been fixed for Jan., 1948. Elsewhere in Canada start has been (Continued on page 7) N.Y. City in Move Against 'Outlaw' Benjamin Fielding, New York City license commissioner, prepared yesterday to file a brief in the State Supreme Court to act as amicus cwrlae in the aetion brought by United Artists to prevent cancellation of Howard Hughes' "The Outlaw" at Harry Brandt's Gotham and Republic theatres and at Arthur Mayer's Rialto here. Permission to enter the case was (Continued on page 7) Delays Liaison for PC A in England Washington, Oct. 21. — Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association, has decided not to appoint a British representative for the MPA Production Code Administration until he has visited England and held conferences with industry officials there. Due to present labor disorders in Hollywood it is not likely that Johnston will make the European trip this year, it is indicated that he will "definitely" not act to appoint a Code liaison until he visits England. 3 New Highs in COURT ASKS FOR Brisk Week at NEW SALES PLANS N.Y. lst-Runs New pictures at New York's first runs are scoring box-office triumphs this week with new records established at three situations and substantial grosses recorded at others. Holdovers, for the most part, also are drawing big business. The current week is the best in many months from the viewpoint of overall revenue. "Blue Skies" at the Paramount, with Stan Kenton's orchestra on the stage, figures to gross $140,000 for its debut week, a new record that exceeds the previous high set by "Road to Utopia" by $5,000. (Continued on page 3) Foreign Trade Up: Depinet, Reisman Returned from a six-week tour of England, France, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium, Ned E. Depinet, RKO Radio executive vice-president, and Phil Reisman, vice president in charge of ,foreign distribution, yesterday gave assurance that conditions abroad are not so cheerless as heretofore described, subW nHHUb, stantiating this with the rereport that American companies in those countries are realizing revenues over the top pre-war levels. Reiman said that business in these countries has increased in like preportion as grosses in this country have risen during the last few years. With this, Depinet observed that the (Continued on page 3) Ned E. Depinet Columbia's 1st Latin Meeting Tomorrow Headed by Joseph A. McConville of Columbia Pictures International Corp. will hold its first regional Latin American convention in Mexico City, tomorrow through Saturday. Jack Cohn, executive vice-president of Columbia Pictures, will attend the meeting, and (Continued on page 7) Court Highlights Court asked exhibitors for suggestions for a better selling system than competitive bidding. Court indicated that exhibitors' amicus curiae briefs should be received and their contents considered as the subjects to which they are related are discussed by government and defendants in the arguments on a final decree starting today. Court said it does not believe now that intervention should be allowed. Alternatives to Bids Invited; Favors Amicus, Opposes Interventions Several Arrivals Are Here From London Several prominent executives of the British and American film industry were among the 2,000 passengers who disembarked here when the mammoth liner Queen Elizabeth, completing her maiden post-war voyage, docked early yesterday. David Rose, independent producer, who until recently was managing director of Paramount in Great Britain, said that the purpose of his visit is to make arrangements for the production and distribution of a film projected as a partnership venture with James Mason, British actor. Mason, he continued, will arrive here next month (Continued on page 7) Industry Research Program in Work Hollywood, Oct. 21. — A call for a vastly increased research program in the industry was made here today by Byron Price, board chairman of the Association of Motion Picture Producers, in a talk at a luncheon opening the 60th semi-annual convention of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers. The industry already has preparations under way for an expanded research program, Price said. Price recalled early motion pictures and described them as a novelty rather than entertainment or a source of beauty and inspiration. "I even venture to say that if sound (Continued on page 3) By TOM LOY Faced with a barrage of objections to auction selling voiced by seven attorneys claiming to represent the vitually unanimous opinion of independent exhibitors throughout the country, Judge Augustus N. Hand, presiding here yesterday at the opening of hearings on the U. S. District Court's final decree in the industry anti-trust suit, called for suggested alternatives to the competitive bidding plan, thus indicating that changes in its own proposal may be made. At the same time, Judge Hand indicated that intervention petitions of the American Theatres Associaton, Southern California Theatre Owners Association and Confederacy of Southern Associations will be denied but that they will be permitted to file amicus cu (Continued on page 6) No Court Review of Arbitration Cases Authority of the three-judge statutory Federal court in the industry anti-trust suit cannot be extended to actions growing out of the arbitration system set up under the consent decree, Judges A. N. Hand, John Bright and H. W. Goddard ruled in District Court here yesterday in denying a petition of Sidney Lust Theatres, Washington, D. C, which sought to set aside a decision handed down on July 12 by the arbitration (Continued on page 7) ATO Hits Firms For Holding Dates Schuyler, Neb., Oct. 21.— Recently inaugurated practice of some distributors _ refusing to allow dating and/or playing of new releases by non-competing, independently-operated theatres in a territory until after 'key runs" have dated or played the pic(Continued on page 7)