Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1946)

FIRST IN FILM NEWS MOTION PICTURE DAILY 60. NO. 97 NEW YORK, U.S.A., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1946 TEN CENTS Strikes Need Congressional Action: Price Cites Jurisdictional Dispute on the Coast San Francisco, Nov. 14— Legislation outlawing jurisdictional strikes should be one of the first acts of the new Congress, Byron Price, board chair man of the Association of Motion Picture Producers, and spokesman for Hollywood producers, today told a luncheon meetin g of the American Automobile Association holding its national convention here. Price pointed to the current j u r i s d i c tional strike in Hollywood, where (Continued on page 18) 46 Already Accept Bid to Establish A Film Foundation Byron Price Clark to Address Steelman Meeting Washington, Nov. 14. — Three top Government officials will keynote the industry-wide conference to be held at the White House on Nov. 19. Attorney General Tom Clark will discuss the value of educational films, General Omar Bradley, veterans' administrator, will talk on the value of film messages to the veterans. Under Secretary of State William Clayton is expected to outline the importance of (Continued on page 18) City Files Today in Bid for 'Outlaw' Ban Affidavits in behalf of New York City License Commissioner Benjamin Fielding's motion for revocation of the state's license on "The Outlaw" will be filed this afternoon by the city corporation counsel. According to the schedule fixed by Dr. Ward C. Bowen, acting director of the motion picture division of the state Education Department, counsel for (Continued on page 17) Some 46 theatre and film executives, to date, have formally pledged themselves to take active part in the industry meeting in New Orleans, Dec. 3-4, for the purpose of laying the groundwork for development of the proposed film foundation for those in need, according to Walter Vincent, member of the organizing committee. Industry leaders queried here yesterday said they envision a huge benevolent institution that would be without parallel in this or any other industry, and predicted it will be a "proposition involving millions of dollars." One executive asserted that the New Orleans meeting will bring to a head "an accumulation of ideas over a period of years." The projected foundation does have at least a good part of its roots in the Motion Picture Charities Fund, estab(Continued on page 20) Fear Increase in Studio Violence Hollywood, Nov. 14. — The studio strike threatened to develop more violence this weekend, with a settlement apparently more remote than ever following the CSU mass meeting at which sterner pressure measures were advocated by all speakers. CSU's president, Herbert K. Sorrell, publicly denying CSU members were connected in any way with the recent home bombings, declared the "strike must be won on the picket lines." He (Continued on page 20) Many Accept White House Meeting Call Representatives of most film companies, as well as numerous exhibitor leaders, have accepted the invitation to attend the conference at the White House in Washington called for next Tuesday afternoon by John Steelman, director of the Office of Mobilization and Reconversion, with a view to bolstering the Government's film information program by forming a permanent group to function in much the same manner as did the War Activities Committee. The companies will be represented, for the most part, by their distribution chiefs. Among those who have already accepted are William F. Rodgers of M-G-M and Charles M. Reagan of Paramount, while Ned E. Depinet, RKO executive vice-president, will appoint a delegate — probably either Robert Mochrie, domestic (Continued on page 20) SOPEG Accepts New Wage Offer Front office employes of 20th Century-Fox, Columbia, M-G-M and United Artists at a meeting last night at the Malin Studio of the Screen Office and Professional Employes Guild, Local 109, UOPWA, voted (Continued on page 18) "Magnificent Doll" [ Universal ] Hollxtvood, Nov. 14 CHAMPIONSHIP caliber is the phrase for this impeccable SkirballManning production starring Ginger Rogers as magnificent Dolly Madison. Its grosses are likely to be in kind. Slick as ribbon and strong as steel in its championing of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness fought for in all this nation's wars, the attraction entertains steadily while building, with fastidious attention to detail, to the final sequence in which Miss Rogers, stilling a mob intent on lynching Aaron Burr, utters in eloquent lines the practical principles of American justice. It's a stirring scene and picture, proceeding stride and stride with Miss Rogers. And persuasively present for marquee purposes, are David Niven as the traitorous Burr and Burgess Meredith as James Madison. To these superb leading performers are added strong supporting portrayals by Horace McNally, Peggy Wood, Robert Barrat, Grandon Rhodes and many others. Between them they make the Philadelphia of the period between the Revolution and the War of 1812 seem as near and intimate (Continued on page 18) Selznick Bids $10,000,000 For UA Shares Or Would Sell His, in Partnership Squabble By RED KANN Hollywood, Nov. 14. — David O. Selznick stands willing to. buy the two-thirds interest in United Artists held by Charles Chaplin and Mary Pickford for $10,000,000, on the line, thereby acquiri n g complete ownership, or he is prepared to sell his interest for $5,000,000 and immediately launch his own distribution company with "Duel in the Sun" as its first) attraction, on a roadshow basis. On the other hand, if the Chaplin and Pickford groups proceed with one legal action seeking to break Selznick's contract on the grounds he (Continued on page 20) David O. Selznick MPA Support For the UN An all-embracing United Nations 16mm. production program, backed by the Motion Picture Association, the five newsreels, and non-theatrical distributors, and designed to effect widespread dissemination of information about UN activities, was announced here yesterday by Jean Benoit-Levy, director of UN's film and visual information division of its department of public information. Slated to commence in about a (Continued on page 18) Technicolor Names Shattuck, Harrison David Shattuck, treasurer of Technicolor, and Kay Harrison, managing director of Technicolor, Ltd., Great Britain, have been elected di(Continued on page 18)