Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1947)

Wednesday, July 16, 1947 Motion Picture Daily 7 4TA Stand {Continued from page 1) 3 xpressed the opinion that the proposed merger would be endangered imd could prevent it if the ATA persists in its stand. The MPTOA spokesmen pointed put that its directors were polled on he question of intervention in the fork suit last winter and reject'overwhelmingly in favor of an i minis curiae action, which MPTOA nas taken. In addition, they contended that ATA's continued participation in the intervention action now . before the Supreme Court is not vital ro the action, as it could be continued jy the Confederacy of Southern Associations and the Southern California Theatre Owners Association, which ilso are parties to it, should ATA \vithdraw. Concurrently, it was learned officially that RKO Theatres and Loew's Theatres, which resigned from ATA oecause of the intervention action, i-vould not participate in the new nerged organization if it continued as i party to that action. Trade observers doubt whether MPTOA would nvite the resignations of the two cir:uits by merging with ATA should ■ he latter refuse to compromise on the iissue. | A large part of the ATA member-hip also belongs to MPTOA but a lumber of Paramount partners, such |s E. V. Richards, R. B. Wilby and R. J. O'Donnell, belong to ATA but hot to MPTOA. Gamble's and Si rabian's theatres, also, are not in the MPTOA fold. Warner Theatres do not belong to either organization. The meeting to discuss the merger pf ATA and MPTOA is scheduled to open at the Hotel Astor here on Frilay. The proposed merger has been lpproved informally by a majority of ATA directors. MPTOA directors lave approved the discussion but have pot expressed themselves on the nerger itself. 'The difference between ATA's intervention action and MPTOA's ami•iis curiae action is that the former nakes the intervenor a party to the .uit, whereas the latter has only an observer's status as "friend of the •ourt." CEA Sees Delay (Continued from page 1) »dds, rentals will probably be fixed ;o as not to exceed that of the pre/ious 12 months, while the duty, the ZEA continues, would be a fixed figitire permitting continued importation >f a very large proportion of Ameri•an films. In explanation of its refusal to lodge opposition to the import duty sought, he CEA indicated that British pubic opinion favors the measure, while he entire House of Commons is ob7iously in favor of it. The organizaion expressed willingness to join dis•ussions with Chancellor of the Ex■hequer Dalton. Another Re-release from Franchise Holders of FAVORITE FILMS CORP. 630 9th Ave., New York 19, N. Y. LINDA DICK DARNELL POWELL IT HAPPENED TOMORROW Senate Group Weighs Information Project Washington, July 15.— The Senate foreign relations committee today discussed the House-approved Mundt bill, authorizing the State Department's overseas information program, and is expected to complete action on the measure tomorrow. Senate GOP leaders have said there would not be time to consider the controversial bill on the floor this session. Library of Congress (Continued from page 1) as a central distributing point for Government films, as an information center, and as a depository for commercial and Government films are ended by the Congressional action. Library officials said it was too early for a definite statement about what would happen to the film collection, but indicated it would just deteriorate. The only other Government agency that could physically handle the film collection, the National Archives, does not have funds for the project. Jolson, Balaban Senate Votes $400,000 for Government Reports Unit Washington, July 15. — The Senate today voted to appropriate $400,000 for operation of the Office of Government Reports during the coming year. Part of the funds could be used for the film liaison section. The new bill now goes to conference with the House which had cut OGR out of the budget completely. OGR originally asked for $600,000. including $22,500 for the film section. The Senate bill also increases funds allowed by the House for gathering of industry financial statistics and issuing financial reports. Agencies affected would be the Federal Trade Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission. M-G-M Studios Start Eight New Pictures Hollywood, July 15. — Nine new pictures will get under way at the M-G-M Studios in Culver City within the next eight weeks. They include : "Luxury Liner," Technicolor musical to be produced by Joe Pasternak, with Frances Gifford, Jane Powell, Lauritz Melchior and Marina Koshetz ; "Homecoming," a Sidney Franklin production ta be directed by Mervyn LeRoy, and starring Clark Gable ; "Speak to Me of Love," an Everett Riskin production to star Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon ; "State of the Union," Frank Capra directing and producing (Liberty Films), starring Spencer Tracy and Claudette Colbert ; "Easter Parade," with Arthur Freed as producer, and Irving Berlin associated in the production, starring Judy Garland. Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Red Skelton ; "The Big City," a Joe Pasternak production, with Leslie Kardos as director, and starring Margaret O'Brien with Karin Booth ; "Hills of Home," in Technicolor, with Robert Sisk as producer, and starring Lassie ; "Upward to the Stars," with George W. Haight as producer ; and "Joan of Lorraine," produced by Walter Wanger (Sierra Pictures), with Victor Fleming director, and Ingrid Bergman as star. (Continued from page 1) camps, a polite name," he said, "for concentration camps." Urging the audience to make a real sacrifice if necessary to fit their contributions to the huge requirements of the campaign, Jolson admonished them not "to take just an income tax deduction, but deprive yourselves in some measure as those whom you would help have been deprived." He dedicated one of his best known songs, "Sonny Boy," to the youthful casualty whom he had described, and sang it to the great appreciation of his audience. Balaban related that the actual estimated relief need is for $215,000,000, although the goal which it is hoped to reach is $170,000,000, which he said will not be enough. To date, $115,000,000 has been pledged nationally, compared with $70,000,000 raised last year. New York City is lagging, the Paramount president said, with $33,000,000 of its $65,000,000 quota pledged to date. The amusement industry division, he reported, has an unofficial goal of $2,100,000, an actual quota of $1,750,000. Including yesterday's pledges, there has been raised $1,100,000, although corporate contributions and pledges to the non-sectarian division of the campaign, of which Spyros P. Skouras is chairman, have not yet been counted. Balaban pointed out that with UNRRA aid having been ended on June 30 and the direct assistance of the U. S. Army discontinued, UJA stands as the sole remaining hope of Europe's destitute Jews. "Despite the ending of outside aid," he said, "the need not only remains, but is intensified. Now it is up to UJA." Scores of contributors doubled and re-doubled their pledges over last year's contributions and many increased their announced donations several successive times as the meeting progressed. Aiding in tabulating pledges were Robert Weitman, Matthew Fox and Max Cohen. Seated at the dais in addition to those named were : Albert Warner, Jack Cohn, Spyros Skouras, Ned Depinet, Malcolm Kingsberg, Nate J. Blumberg, Sam Rinzler, Fred Schwartz, William Kline, Manny Sachs, Emil Friedlander and Dave Weinstock, the latter in charge of arrangements for the luncheon. Playing Time (Continued from page 1) scoopbond, of which MPEA is a member, is not in favor of granting increased playing time to American films. On the other hand, he pointed out, about 95 per cent of the exhibitor element favors a free market for films. Therefore, although recently the distributor faction voted almost unanimously (MPEA cast the dissenting vote) to instruct the Bond's board to continue the 28 weeks playing time vithin the Bond regardless of whether the^ present government regulation remains, a showdown vote between the two elements of the Dutch organization will not sustain the distributor move, Childhouse said. An increase in playing time for \merican films, the MPEA executive said, will not mean that the MPEA member companies and independent American distributors in Holland will be able to take out of Holland remittances beyond the $1,830,000 nowcoming from that country yearly. Moments of JPury — from — 4. THE THREAT HAL WALLIS' Production In Technicolor . . . From Paramount