Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1947)

Friday, March 7, 1947 Motion Picture daily Ban Jurisdictionals By Law: C. of C. Washington, March 6. — Jurisdictional strikes should be ruled an unfair labor practice and unions should be made responsible by law for such disputes, the U. S. Chamber of Commerce told the House Education and Labor committee today. H-vW. Steinkraus, chairman of the CVO&er's labor relations committee, opT~ed compulsory arbitration between labor and management. He said, however, that voluntary arbitration is acceptable to the Chamber. Commenting on jurisdictional strikes, the Chamber said: "Labor unions have failed to see that it is to their advantage to provide adequate forums for the settlement of such disputes. For that reason a jurisdictional strike should be made an unfair labor practice and legal machinery should be provided for settlement of such disputes." Theatres Help Local Merchants: Friedman Chester Friedman, editor of the Managers' Round Table of Motion Picture Herald, told a White Plains Lion's Club luncheon-meeting yesterday that "the theatre is a bulwark in keeping local consumers of tangible merchandise in their own communities." Friedman, who was guest speaker at the luncheon, said that the "great drawing power of motion pictures helps to attract business" for local merchants from rural and surrounding areas. Lantz Signs 5 Year Contract with UA Hollywood, March 6.— -Walter Lantz has signed a five-year releasing contract with United Artists for 11 cartoon shorts annually. With Universal for the past 20 years, Lantz will continue his "Woody Woodpecker" musical miniatures and "Andy Panda" characters in his forthcoming product. Flying is the way to travel to — CHICAGO PITTSBURGH LOS ANGELES — and TWA is the friendly way to fly. See your fravei agent or phone LExington 2-7100 Save time with TWA AIRFREIGHT m Trans World Airline UA's Sears Makes Gold Cup Awards Chicago, March 6— The Midwest district, headed by Rud Lohrenz, has been awarded first prize of $7,000 in United Artists vice-president Gradwell L. Sears' Gold Cup Drive. At a regional sales meeting here today, the Chicago branch headed by Sid Rose, was awarded $5,000 in prizes. Rose also received a gold cup from Sears. These five salesmen each receivd $500 : Milt Kruger of Indianapolis, John Graham of Kansas City, Carl Reece of Omaha, M. Provencher of Milwaukee and Ed Stoller of Minneapolis. 'Years' Nets $16,000 Pittsburgh Advance Pittsburgh, March 6.— The Fulton Theatre here ran up a $16,000 advance sale for "The Best Years of Our Lives," which is being shown at advanced prices four times a day. Individual seats are not reserved, but no tickets are sold beyond capacity. The house points out that one advantage of the system is that it breaks down resistance to advanced prices required _ for big pictures. Only minor hitches occurred; some people claimed the right to sit through two shows. Seven More Pictures Get Legion Ratings Columbia's "Thirteenth Hour" has been classified A-I by the National Legion of Decency. The following were classified A-II : "Danger Street" and "My Favorite Brunette," both Paramount; "The Sin of Harold Diddlebock," United Artists, and "Undercover Maisie," M-G-M. AEF Corp.'s French-made "Angel and Sinner" and Tricolor Films' French-made "Children of Paradise," were placed in Class B. RKO-Radio Appoints Elias Lapinere Elias Lapinere has been appointed RKO-Radio European publicity director and will make his headquarters in the Paris office of Wladimir Lissim, general European supervisor, RKORadio discloses here. Lapinere has been nominated by European managers of American companies as chairman of the public relations committee for the Brussels Film Festival. Goldstone to RKO Hollywood, March 6. — Richard Goldstone has joined RKO Radio as a producer, according to an announcement by Dore Schary, executive vicepresident in charge of production. He will concentrate, under Schary's supervision, on a specialized type of picture, the nature of which will be disclosed later. Former head of the M-G-M short subject department and more recently a producer at M-G-M and Columbia, Goldstone served during the war with the motion picture division of the USAAF. Schary -Wallis Deal Hollywood, March 6. — Dore Schary and Hal Wallis have announced a "package deal" whereby RKO-Radio secures from Hal Wallis Productions at Paramount screen rights to "The White Swamp," along with Lizabeth Scott and Burt Lancaster as co-stars, Byron Haskin as director and Leo Tover as cameraman. Film Salesmen ( Continued from page 1 ) plies from three major companies expressing their willingness to sit down and discuss the film salesmen's demands, it is said. Arthur M. Van Dyke, sales manager of 20th Century-Fox in Chicago, who was elected national president of the Colosseum unit in St. Louis last Dec. 1, discloses that to date no specific demands have been asked for. He also said that because of the peculiar nature of a film salesmen's job, no minimum hours will be asked for. Van Dyke said the Colosseum is not affiliated with any labor organization. The IATSE has on occasion attempted to organize film salesmen. He pointed out that salesmen are the only branch of the industry not organized to date and that their aims are to get security and proper position in the industry. He added that salesmen's demands will be fair and reasonable, observing, "I think the companies will be fair, and reasonable with us." Van Dyke said that negotiation strategy will be set by an executive group composed of 14 from all sections of the country. While declining to state how many salesmen are now associated with the Colosseum throughout the country, Van Dyke did say that the membership in Seattle, for example, has increased 300 per cent in 10 days. Omaha and Indianapolis are also completely organized. He reports that the Colosseum embraces 13 film salesmen's groups comprising a membership of nearly 500. Van Dyke succeeded Frairk W. Solley of RKO Radio in Atlanta as national president in the December election. Solley was elected treasurer, Mel Keller of Portland, Ore., executive vice-president; N. Provencher, Milwaukee, executive secretary. Hollywood Mass Meeting Hollywood, March 6. — With the basic issues in the six-months-old studio strike still unchanged, the Conference^ Studio Unions prepared for a special mass meeting on Sunday night at Legion Stadium. All unions and several civic organizations have been invited to hear union president Herbert Sorrell report on his abduction and beating by unidentified assailants last Sunday night. Local 278 Negotiating Hollywood, March 6. — Building Service Employes' local No. 278 is understood to be negotiating with IATSE leaders for an arrangement under which its striking members could disassociate themselves from the Conference of Studio Unions and return to work. Oklahoma Owners (Continued from page 1) amusement levies or gross receipt taxes. The meeting, presided over by C. B. Akers, chairman of the state exhibitors' legislative committee, resulted in agreement by the exhibitors to spark a "grass-roots" drive against the proposed law and support another measure designed to increase the state's property tax system. The opposed bill, sponsored by Tulsa and Oklahoma City officials, has been referred to a Senate committee for public hearings within the next two weeks.