Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1948)

FIRST FILM NEWS sfoflQN picture DAILY Accurate Concise and Impartial 1 VOL*jL! N0 67 NEW YORK, U.S.A., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1948 TEN CENTS Treasury Eyes Appeal Brief In Tax Moves To Study Paramount Case For Ticket Tax Data Washington, April 6. — Treasury economists preparing a study of the admission tax are poring over : the briefs submitted by the Government and the companies to the U. S. Supreme Court in the Paramount case, it was learned here today. "The background of how the industry works is just as important as the cold facts and figures of tax returns," one official said, "and we figured the briefs and record in the Paramount case was as good a place to get the background as any." Work on the study is progressing slowly, hence it may be two months or more before it is completed. ^Foy Quits E-L Post To Form Own Outfit Hollywood, April 6. — A new contract under which he will organize his own company, Bryan Foy Pictures, Inc., to make four films annually for three years has been signed by Bryan Foy with E-L. Foy, who will operate on the E-L lot. will relinquish his E-L post of executive producer and will sever all connection with E-L pictures other than his own. No successor to him is expected to be named by the studio. Arthur B. Krim, president of E-L, will be executive head of the studio, expanding his present supervision to include duties relinquished by Foy. The Foy organization gives E-L two independent units functioning on the lot. the other being Walter Wanger Pictures. WB to Distribute Three ABPC Films London. Anril 6. — Associated British Pictures Corp. has signed a twoyear pact with Warners under which the latter will handle worldwide distribution of three top-bracket films to be financed by ABPC, with Warners supplying director and star. At the same time, it was learned that Sir Philip Warter, ABPC chairman, has initiated discussions with (.Continued on par/e 5) PCCITO to Studios For Ban on Stars' Political Activities San Francisco, April 6. — Cooperation of the studios in keeping their stars out of political propaganda films will be sought by the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners, it was decided here yesterday by the board of trustees at a meeting prior to the opening of the PCCITO annual convention today. A request recently made to Eric Johnston, MPAA president, for his cooperation in the matter brought a reply to the effect that the stars had a right to the same political action as other citizens. While the trustees believe that John (Continued on page 5) S. G. Lebedoff Files $835,000 Trust Suit Minneapolis, April 6. — S. G. Lebedoff's suburban Homewood Theatre today filed a $835,000 anti-trust suit in Federal court here charging distributors with a conspiracy to set runs and clearances in distribution. Defendants are Loew's, Minnesota Amusement Co., Paramount, RKO Radio, 20th-Fox, Universal and Warner Bros. Lebedoff charges the alleged conspiracy has existed since 1930, has limited his showing of films to 56 days after downtown runs, and since Sept. 1, 1934, has cost him $15,000 annuallv in profits, a total of $202,500. He puts other damages at $76,000 and asks treble the total amount. Ascap's Annual Meet In N. Y. Tomorrow Annual meeting of Ascap will be held here tomorrow at the WaldorfAstoria. Deems Taylor, president, will preside. Efforts to obtain television rights of Ascap's members, demands of stage show houses for the cancellation of special seat rates and the yearly report of the society will be among matters expected to be discussed at the meeting. Allege Price-Fix By Ticket Firms Washington, April 6 — Six trade associations and 37 manufacturers of theatre and other type tickets are charged by the Federal Trade Commission with conspiring to fix prices and eliminate competition. The Clayton Act complaint declares the defendants control the market. MPAA Weighs Shift Of Allport to Paris London, April 6. — Motion Picture Association of America is considering shifting Fayette Allport, its European director, to Paris permanently to 'oversee the entire European film situation with Frank McCarthy, Paris representative, to be located in London engaged specifically in administration of the ad valorem tax agreement. Rep. Has 40 For Britain Republic will be ready to release between 30 and 40 pictures in England when the ad valorem tax settlement is activated in June, Herbert J. Yates, president, said here yesterday. However, he expects it will be another year before the company will begin to relax its domestic expense-saving program which has effected thus far a $3,000,000 over-all reduction in operating costs. Yates reported that Republic is aiming at a 25 per cent reduction in production costs. Yates said he will visit England in about two months to examine investment possibilities provided for sterl(Continued on page 5) British Academy to Make Film Awards London, April 6. — The British Film Academy, similar in intent and design to Hollywood's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, has been formed and will announce its first annual awards probably on Friday. Awards will go to the best film from any source shown in the United Kingdom in 1947 ; to the best British film shown during the year, and there will be a special award, as yet undisclosed. On the Academy's council are Sir Michael Balcon, chairman ; Anthony Asquith, Thorold Dickinson, David Lean, Sir Alexander Korda, Frank Launder, Ronald Neame, Sir Laurence Olivier, Michael Powell and Carol Reed. Loew May Produce; Declines Comment The office of Arthur Loew, president of Loew's International, yesterday would neither confirm nor deny reports that he is resigning to produce independently. Loew could not be reached for comment. TOA, Allied Resume Lewis Bill Fireworks House Sub-Committee to Review Measure Today Washington, April 6. — The Theatre Owners of America today characterized as "groundless, unfair, and without logic," an Allied States charge that TOA's position on the Lewis Bill is dictated "by the selfish interests of affiliated members." In a statement filed with a House judiciary sub-committee, which tomorrow will reconsider its action killing the bill by a 5-to-l.vote, TO A reiterated its opposition to the bill and said that the issue of affiliated theatres versus independents had no bearing on the merits of the bill but con (Continued on page 4) MPAA, TOA Public Relations in Accord Full cooperation between the public relations programs of the Motion Picture Association and the Theatre Owners of America has been established, Earl Hudson, who is handling the TOA campaign, said here yesterday following a meeting of representatives of both programs. Hudson said more exploratory meetings will be held during the next several days, and indicated that a mutually satisfactory number of pictures from all companies will be arrived at next week along with methods whereby the pictures will be selected for mutual promotion in the joint endeavor to advance the industry in public esteem. Asks Fairness in UK Dollar Spending London, April 6. — A government spokesman in the House of Lords today declared that the recent agreement with the U. S. film industry on the British ad valorem tax implicitly provides that any expenditures from unremittable sterling for production should not go beyond the limits of fair competition with the British industry. He also said that the pact furnishes an incentive for U. S. distributors to get maximum dollar earnings for British films in the American market.