Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1946)

Friday, December 6, 1946 Motion Picture Daily 7 Building Bars (Continued jrom page 1) program. Wilson A. Wyatt, housing expediter, resigned his post last night, and told President Truman that the time for "relaxing emergency control has arrived." Truman, however, has followed Wyatt's observation with a statement asserting that he is interested in "continuing the housing pro h" .anwhile. with the unexpected resignation today of CPA chief John D. Small, continuation of building controls will be handled by an overall liquidation agency to include the Office of Price Administration, CPA and other emergency agencies, with the housing agency to continue as a special bureau of the Government. However, the overall liquidation agency will handle all controls because the housing agency has no actual Congressional authority to regulate private and commercial building. Earlier, the President was said to be planning a merger of agencies which would place the housing program under Small. However, Small had gone on record against building controls "which are drastic enough to cripple commercial enterprises." Small has said that he believes it unwise to control any "specific island of our economic system while other thinggo 'hog wild.' " Heineman, Rank (Continued from page 1) their first meeting at the Hotel Black stone here today. Heineman, assisted by B. G. Kranze, assistant general sales manager, told the sales representatives that the achievement of their goal depended upon close cooperation with Universal distribution personnel. He explained that Rank division sales supervisors are charged with the responsibilities of the sales of Rank pictures and their liquidation in the various territories which they supervise. "The Wicked Lady," Heineman told the sales representatives, has already been' booked into 11 key city first-run situations. Lawrence J. McGinley, sales manager of the Prestige Pictures department of Universal, will discuss Prestige product with the sales representatives tomorrow. "U" Sales Parley In Albany Monday Fred Meyers, Universal Eastern division sales manager, will hold a district sales meeting in Albany on Monday to be attended by branch managers and salesmen from Albany, Buffalo and New Haven exchanges. Among those who will be present are district manager Dave Miller of Albany, branch managers Eugene Vogel, Albany ; Arthur Greenfield, New Haven ; Jerome J. Spandau, Buffalo, and salesmen George Reif, New Haven ; Eugene Lowe, Albany, and Carl Heerdt, J. Callahan and George Sussman, Buffalo. Nussbaum Joins Mono. Herbert Nussbaum has resigned his post in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's legal department here, to join Monogram shortly after Jan. 1. He will leave M-G-M on Dec. 20 and make a visit to the Coast. Empower States (Continued from page 1) SFA told the governors that complete elimination in many cities of places of amusement "might be necessary in the light of the drastic shortage of fuel and electric power." At the CPA headquarters it has been generally agreed that by keeping theatres open an "actual saving of electric power and coal results." Placing the burden of "power conservation" upon the states, the SFA now urges that every effort be made to keep every type of enterprise in operation in order "to keep community life on a normal course." At the same time, SFA asserted to the state leaders that, with the present "serious crisis," it may be an eventual necessity to close all "non-essential service" endeavors. Hamilton, O., Is First City To Set Complete Blackout Hamilton, O., Dec. 5. — Hamilton has undergone a complete blackout, effective tonight. This is said to be the first such establishment of a complete blackout during the present coal strike crisis. The Paramount, Palace and Rialto, units of Northio Theatres, are discontinuing matinees except Saturdays and Sundays and will be open evenings only, during which power will be conserved to the utmost. Broidy, Ritchey (Continued from page 1) George N. Blatchford, assistant treasurer ; Barnett Shapiro, assistant secretary. Directors of the company continue as heretofore : Broidy, Ritchey, Edward Morey, W. Ray Johnston, Horne, Friedhoff, William B. Jaffc and George D. Burrows. Mexican Barriers Not Seen Imminent Washington, Dec. 5. — There L no "immediate" threat that legislation will be adopted in Mexico to impose barriers against American pictures, according to a Department of Commerce report issued here today. However, the report pointed out that it is highly possible that as Mexican production facilities increase, the Mexican product will be a threat to the American. "It should be borne in mind that the Mexican motion picture industry is growing rapidly and that there probably will be strong agitation to restrict foreign pictures there," the report said. It pointed out that Mexican films are finding a "considerable outlet" in the United States. It is also understood that the income of Mexican producers from the U. S. in proportion to their total investment is much greater than the income of U. S. pictures distributed in Mexico, the report said. Variety Installation Philadelphia, Dec. 5. — Installation of officers of tent No. 13, Variety Club, will be held on Dec. 16 at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, here. William McCraw, executive director of Variety Clubs of America, will be on hand for the ceremonies. Al Davis, Monogram branch head, is the new chief barker for 1947. Outside Newsreeler Permitted by Russia Washington, Dec. 5. — For the first time since before the war, Russia will permit a newsreel photographer to enter that country. At the request of the UNRRA, an Englishman who works for the international relief agency, will be permitted to take pictures in Russia. He is Peter Hopkinson. After the photographer returns, the footage will be distributed to American and British companies for distribution, UNRRA said here. Shut Houses Due (Continued from page 1) reporting thousands of unheated homes. The out-going CPA chief said he believes "cooperation" is better in power conservation programs than mandatory orders. Regulations hereafter will" be handled on the local level, where the supply of coal available can best be determined, he disclosed. State Control Seen Small expressed the belief that the new orders will be geared toward state authorities. Some states will be asked to enter the second and third stages of power conservation regulations already in existence, he added. The later stages of the power orders recently issued include restriction or complete shutdown of theatres. Buchanan, Allied (Continued from page 1) tion campaign on "It Happened on Fifth Avenue," first picture to be handled by Buchanan, under the agreement, according to Louis S. Lifton, Monogram advertising-publicity chief. It is understood that a similar allocation will be made for all future Allied Artists films, each of which will be budgeted at a minimum of $1,000,000 for production. The Allied Artists schedule, to date, includes "Marked Woman," "Tragic Symphony," "Low Company," "Gun Crazy" and "Last of the Bad Men," in addition to "Fifth Avenue." McNeill, Others Buy Coast Speedway San Francisco, Dec. 5 — Purchase of the controlling stock in the Oakland Speedway has been made by Robert A. McNeil in behalf of Golden State Theatres. This represents an investment of $400,000 with plans for a large additional amount to be expended on development of the Speedway. The track takes in an area of over 60 acres, with bleachers seating 17,000 people and accommodating as many automobiles. David Bolton, executive with Golden State Theatres, has been appointed President of the Track Association. Members of the board of the Speedway are : McNeil, owner of Golden State ; M. Naify, head of T. and D., Jr., Enterprises ; L. S. Hamm, attorney and theatre owner, and Clifford Allen and Charles Curryer. Pagnol to U. S. for French Government Marcel Pagnol, prominent figure in the French film industry, will come here from Paris shortly on commission from the French Government to act as "good will" ambassador, according to Leon Siritzky, head of Siritzky International Films, who , has arrived in New York from Paris. The latter said here yesterday that Pagnol will perform his diplomatic duties in Washington and subsequently will go to Hollywood to make a film jointly with Siritzky. Siritzky said that he has instituted proceedings to recoup 48 of his theatres from the French Government, which had taken them into "custody" at the end of the war. He has 18 houses in operation over there at present. Siritzky's two sons, Sam and Joseph, will leave here in January for Paris with prints of three or four American films, now being negotiated for, for distribution in France. The company is now establishing distribution facilities in that country. French May Make 100 (Continued from page 1) will cost more than $16,800,000 to produce. Cost of production here has risen sharply. In 1939 it cost about 2,500,000 francs for an average picture. Today it costs 10 times as much to produce the same picture — approximately 25.000,000 francs, or about $210,000. Domestic gross for the 100 features is estimated at 10,000.000,000 francs, of which no more than 1,000.000,000 or 1,500,000,000 francs will go to the producers. Taxes, the exhibitors' percentage and costs of production will take more than the rest, putting the industry in the red. It is known that an increase in admissions is now impossible as increases were levied only last October. The only hope of the industry would be in a reduction of the heavy taxes on gross receipts, but, due to the difficult situation of the State Treasury, such hopes are not allowed at present. Taxes would take 3,000,000,000 of the estimated 10,000,000,000 in gross receipts for the 100 features. Eight American films have been released in Paris first-run theatres since Nov. 1, together with one British picture, "Brief Encounter" ; one Italian picture, "Rome, Open City," and a French feature produced in Italy. The American pictures are : "Fantasia," "Destry Rides Again," "Conflict," "The Magnificent Ambersons," "Palm Beach Story," "You Belong to Me," "All This and Heaven Too" and "Mrs. Miniver." Ben Goetz to England Hollywood, Dec. 5. — Ben Goetz, chairman and managing director of M-G-M London Films, will leave here Sunday for England following studio conferences. He reports that plans have not been definitely set as yet for filming at the Elstree studios. 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