Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1947)

Motion Picture Daily Thursday, January 30, 1947 Para. Product Talks (Continued from page 1) distribution; George Weltner, president of Paramount International; Russell Holman, Eastern production head and Alan Jackson, Eastern story editor. Heading the Coast executives taking part in the conferences is Henry Ginsberg, vice-president in charge of production and studio operations. Attending from the foreign field are J. E. Perkins, chairman and managing director for Great Britain, and Frank Farley, European production representative. M.P. Forum (Continued from page 1) Brooker Says (Continued jrom page 1) O'Hara, assistant to Eric Johnston. Brooker, a member of the U. S. delegation to UNESCO, said that in the field of mass media, the fear is applied only to American films since, this is the field we control throughout the world. A RESEARCH LABORATORY IN HOLLYWOOD . . THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST SUPPLY OF REPLACEMENT PARTS. enberg said, asking them to appoint representatives to attend the meeting. The action is in line with a resolution adopted by the MPTOA board at its meeting here last week. The resolution stipulated that the meeting for initial discussion of the forum should be attended exclusively by independent exhibitors and that a subsequent meeting should be held to discuss conciliation plans with distribution executives and representatives of affiliated circuits. Letters of invitation to the March 10 meeting were sent to Allied States, American Theatres Association, ITO of New York, Pacific Coast Confer ence of Independent Theatre Own ers, Confederacy of Southern Associa tions, Conference of Independent Ex hibitor Associations, and others. US Film Program (Continued jrom page 1) New Petitioners Hit Daylight Savings St. Louis, Jan. 29. — New petitions for repeal of daylight saving time here, bearing 4,400 signatures, have been presented to the St. Louis elec tion board by Fred Wehrenberg, pres ident of MPTO of St. Louis, East ern Missouri and Southern Illinois, to replace some 2,500 signatures which had been disqualified by the board on an earlier petition. May Lease Theatres (Continued jrom page 1) tain necessary advanced-admission revenue for costly films without violating the price-fixing ban laid down in the final decree in the industry anti-trust suit, will be used by Goldwyn for showing "The Best Years of Our Lives," as reported on Tuesday in Motion Picture Daily. For "Arch of Triumph," Einfeld said, theatre leasing is being considered along with other methods of obtaining roadshow results without violating the decree provisions. General domestic distribution of the film, along with other Enterprise productions, will be handled by United Artists.. Einfeld, who has been in New York this week finalizing plans for M-G-M's foreign distribution of his company's pictures, is scheduled to return to the Coast tomorrow. Maryland Considers Theatre Ticket Tax Baltimore, Jan. 29. — The possibility of taxing amusements again is being discussed in connection with a bill now before the Maryland Senate Judiciary Committee, at Annapolis. The bill provides for the distribution of proceeds from taxes on amusements to the political subdivision in which the amusement is located, after 10 per cent has been deducted by the comptroller to defray the cost of collection. The recommendation has been made on the theory that Federal taxes on amusements, which were increased to 20 per cent during the war, will be reduced. to interest major producers in contracting to make a substantial number of the pictures, these companies have declined, MacFadden reports, with the result that he now hopes to close enough deals with independents to round out the program. Of the two films now being made, one is entitled "American Adventure" and concerns the University of California at Los Angeles, with Jack Chertok as producer. The other, from United Productions of America, is an animated cartoon showing the operation of public-opinion polls in the U. S. In addition to the production program, the Department is using approximately 80 films acquired from Government agencies, private industry and American civic groups. Some of these, explaining new U. S. devices and production methods, were obtained from Westinghouse, Ford Motor Co., and other manufacturers. Doubt Schine (Continued from page 1) lork suit, McKay does not agree that the converse is indicated. The combined size of the major companies is so much greater than Schine's that McKay believes he can succeed in Washington without establishing a precedent against separating theatres from the circuit distributors. McKay plans a trip to Washington next week to arrange for printing the Schine case record for the Supreme Court appeal. It contains more than 4,700 typewritten pages, in addition to numerous exhibits. How many of the latter shall be printed has not yet been agreed upon by counsel for the Government and the defense. Thompson to King Bros. Hollywood, Jan. 29. — Walter Thompson, film editor and former executive assistant to William Goetz at International Pictures, has been signed by King Brothers as supervising film editor on "The Gangster," first Allied Artists film to be produced by them. He will join the producing organization at the Hal Roach studio on Feb. 1. To Show 'Duel' to Vets Hollywood, Jan. 29. — David O. Selznick will screen "Duel in the Sun" at 10 veterans hospitals in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, as soon as arrangements can be made by publicist Claud Morris, who will leave here by train tomorrow in that connection, the studio announces. Church Group (Continued from page 1) terday by Paul F. Heard, executive secretary, following the second annual meeting of the commission at Presbyterian headquarters, here. According to Heard, the pictures will comprise the full 1947 production schedule. The first, he said, will be a film designed to stimulate the a^^gc churchgoer to more creative aJ^Pxggressive Christian living; the second will be a film to promote Christian education by portraying the basic values of religion; and another will dramatize the church school teacher, to aid in the recruitment of them. Oother films will deal with the need for racial and religious tolerance, vocational opportunities in the missionary field, the ministry, and Christianity in China, Heard disclosed. In addition to the seven films scheduled, Heard outlined five series of pictures which the commission is nlanning for future production. British Unions (Continued from page 1) British pictures under American directors and to spend $4,000,000 modernizing and re-equipping the Elstree Studios. The unions proposed: a council of Government, producers and union representatives to foster films under state patronage with a circuit of stateowned theatres and state film production ; a reduction in the size of the three present circuits ; a films' bank to finance production; and legislation stipulating that four-fifths of labor costs in British films be paid to British subjects. A memorandum containing the union's proposals was sent to Sir Stafford Cripps, president of the Board of Trade. Odeon Dividend London, Jan. 29— Odeon Theatres announces a seven and one-half per cent interim ordinary dividend, the first since the company was formed in 1937. Mayer Auction Feb. 27 Arcadia, Cal., Jan. 29. — Louis B. Mayer, M-G-M production chief, will auction his $5,000,000 racing stable on Feb. 27. The Fasig-Tipton Co. of New York will handle the sale at Santa Anita race track. COLOR CARTOONS AND Travelogues Musical Novelties Scientific Shorts For Foreign Rights — Cable FILM RIGHTS EXPORT Corp! 1600 BROADWAY ■ NEW YORK 19, N. Y. CABOE ADDRESS "FILMRIGHTS" New Hollingshead Shorts Hollywood, Jan. 29. — "Let's Sing a Song of the West" is the first in a new series of six one-reel "Memory Lane" musicals to be produced by Gordon Hollingshead at Warners. Jack Scholl is directing. Lewis on ASCAP Board Edgar Leslie, writer-member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers has been appointed to the Society's board of directors. i REEVES SOUND STUDIOS, INC. 1600 BROADWAY. 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