Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1947)

FIRST IN FILM NEWS 1 MOTION PICTURE DAILY |*-a\J62. NO. 12 NEW YORK, U. S. A., THURSDAY, JULY 17, 1947 TEN CENTS Industry, UN Leaders Form US Film Unit Milliken, Wehrenberg, C. Reagan, Coyne Officers The American National Film Committee for the United Nations vvas established yesterday at a uncheon-meeting of industry and 'UN representatives at the Hotel A.stor, here. The meeting was held at :he invitation of Motion Picture Assoriation president Eric Johnston, now ibroad, and, upon its formation, the j Committee was officially accredited I yesterday to the UN by Benjamin Cohen, UN assistant secretary-gen I eral and chairman of the UN Film Board. The following committee ofcers were elected at the meeting: Chairman, Carl E. Milliken, MPA secretary; Vice-chairmen, C. R. Reagan, of the Film Council of America, and Fred Wehrenberg, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America; Secretary, Robert W. Coyne, executive director of the American Theatres Association. The American committee, like the French and British committees already organized and officially accredited, will work with Jean Benoit-Levy, director of the UN Department of (Continued on page 8) Fishman, Levy Head M.P.F. in New Haven New Haven, July 16. — Dr. Jacob Fishman of Fishman Theatres was elected national trustee of the Motion Picture Foundation for the New Haven exchange area, and Herman Levy, general counsel of Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, was elected secretary at a meeting at the Hotel Taft here yesterday attended by more than 60 representatives of all branches of the local trade. Harry Lavietes was named alternate for Dr. Fishman. Carl Goe, Warner branch manager, was named chairman of the general committee, and Lou Brown of Loew's, was named publicity chairman. I. J. Hoffman, Warners New England division manager, presided at the meeting, which was addressed by Louis Novins of the Paramount home office. Committee members are: Barney Pitkin, Max Salzburg, Ben Simon, Henry Germaine, Arthur Greenfield, (Continued on page 8) InternationalVariety Meet April 12-17 R. J. O'Donnell and John H. Hariris have set April 12 as the date for the 1948 international convention of the Variety Clubs, to run a week, at the Roney Plaza Hotel in Miami Beach, with the new Miami tent as host. George C. Hoover, of Paramount (Continued on page 7) RKO Board Discusses Pathe Newsreel Sale A lengthy meeting of the RKO board, at which it is reported the subject of the sale of RKO Pathe newsreel to Warner Brothers was discussed, was held here yesterday. Following the meeting, N. Peter Rathvon, president, declined to comment on the matter. Rathvon, who was scheduled to leave for the Coast today, will remain here until next week. It was reported that negotiations are still under way on the newsreel deal, with attorneys studying details. New Allied Unit Is Planned for Kansas Denver, July 16. — Plans to organize a Kansas unit of Allied States were disclosed here today following a meeting of Rocky Mountain Allied. Exhibitors from Kansas attended the Denver organization's meeting which unanimously adopted a constitution and set of by-laws. The meeting was ' presided over by John Wolfberg, chairman of the board. Another Hundred Millions to Britain Washington, July 16.— Britain has withdrawn another one hundred million dollars of its three billion seven hundred and fifty million dollar U. S. loan, it was announced here today, bringing total withdrawals in the first year of the loan to two billion three hundred million dollars. Britain has only one billion four hundred and fifty million dollars left, which will be used up in about seven to eight months at the present rate of withdrawal. The loan was originally intended to last close to three years. MPTOA Sets Special Meet On Affiliation Will Weigh ATA Stand On Intervention Tonight Col. to Re-release 10 Key Productions Ten top films which were issued several years ago, will be re-released by Columbia shortly. The group consists of : "Arizona," Wesley Ruggles' film which stars Jean Arthur; "Texas," which George Marshall directed and Samuel Bischoff produced; "Golden Boy," Rouben Mamoulian production of Clifford Odets' play; "Good Girls Go to Paris," starring Melvyn Douglas and Joan Blondell, directed by Alexander Hall ; "More Than a Secretary," which stars Jean Arthur and George Brent, directed by Alfred E. Green; "The Doctor Takes a Wife," directed by Alexander Hall. Also: "Let Us Live," directed by (Continued on page 7) A special meeting of the board of directors of Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America will be held tonight with every indication that consideration of American Theatre Association's announced refusal to withdraw from the action for intervention in the New York anti-trust suit will be first on the agenda. Continued refusal of the ATA to alter that stand, which is known to be opposed by a majority of the MPTOA board, could stop the move for affiliation of the two organizations. Fred Wehrenberg, MPTOA president, and Herman Levy, general counsel, who arrived in New York yesterday to prepare for the meeting on the proposed affliation — which will get under way at the Hotel Astor here tomorrow— declined to comment on the situation in advance of consultations with the MPTOA board members, a majority of whom are ex (Continued on page 7) Allied-Monogram Sales Quota Is $25,000,000 Foreign Product Is In Demand : Springer A "growing demand" for foreign films in neighborhood theatres is reported by Joseph R. Springer, general manager of Century Circuit here. In consequence, he said, the circuit's Town Theatre, Flushing, L. I., has been placed on a foreign and documentary film policy, this being the second Century house to make the change. Oklahoma City, July 16.— Sales quota for Allied Artists and Monogram in 1947-48 was set at $25,000,000 todav by president Steve Broidy, on the eve of the joint annual national convention of the two companies, to be held here tomorrow through Saturday at the Skirvin Towers Hotel. "The formation of Allied Artists Productions during the past year," said Broidy, "has assured a vastly wider field for our distribution. Established as a subsidiary to Monogram for the making of films with high production value, the new company gives us entree into many im(Continued on page 7) Name Wilby-Kincey In $5,550,000 Suit Charlotte, July 16. — A suit seeking $5,550,000 on allegations that Wilby-Kincey Service Corp. of this city and other defendants violated the Sherman-Clayton anti-trust law has been instituted in Greenville, S. C, Federal Court by Fred S., Edward C. and James V/. Curdts, who operate a theatre in Greenville. The plaintiffs charge discrimination against them in the release and booking of product. H. F. Kincey, head of the defendant company, was not available for comment since he is away on vacation. Congressman Calls For 'Clean Films' Washington, July 16. — "Clean, wholesome motion pictures can do a great deal of good. Inspiring patriotic and historical pictures can be of great benefit in preserving our national traditions and creating better international understanding," whereas, "the reverse kind of pictures can do a great deal of harm," declared Congressman Gordon L. McDonough as he inserted into the Congressional (Continued on page 8)