Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1948)

fil£ COHV bO NOT MOTION PICTURE FIRST IN ah ▼ aHk «M ^^^^ A ^ A »■» ^» ^» Accurate Tn ATI Concise FILM and NEWS Impartial 63 NO 69 NEW YORK, U. S. A., FRIDAY. APRIL 9, 1948 TEN CENTS Initiate Plans For Hollywood Canadian Aid Harmon and Fitzgibbons Report Progress to Howe Ottawa, April 8. — An initial report on Hollywood's plan of cooperation toward the alleviation of Canada's U. S. currency problem has been outlined to Dominion Trade Minister C. D. Howe by J. J. Fitzgibbons, president of Famous Players Canadian Corp., and Francis Harmon, vice-president of the Motion Picture Association of America. Harmon said here the industry recognizes the importance of the Canadian market and desires to cooperate. Steps already taken include plans to (Continued on page 3) Mayer Subpoenaed To Lawson Trial Washington, April 8. — Louis B. Mayer and Dore Schary have been subpoenaed to testify in the trials of the 10 Hollywoodites cited for contempt of Congress during the House Un-American Activities Committee's hearings last fall. Trial of the first of the 10. John Howard Lawson, is slated to start here on Monday. Other film executives also may be subpoenaed as well as members of the committee and other officials. Defense attorneys had asked the {Continued on page 3) Mulvey Boomed for SIMPP Presidency A substantial segment of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers is determined apparently to persuade James Mulvey, president of Samuel Goldwyn Productions, to accept the presidency of the organization, an independent from the Coast reported here yesterday. SIMPP has been without a president since Donald Xelson resigned last December, with Mulvey since performing the major functions of the office. If Mulvey becomes SIMPP's president he would continue as Goldwyn Productions' president. New British Quota Act Now Is Law London, April 8. — Without fanfare, Britain's new Films Quota Act has become law and will remain so for a term of 10 years. The Board of Trade is required to determine the new quota percentages not later than July 1 of each year, the revised percentages becoming operative the following October. The ruling principle of the law is that the highest practical quota be established for British films. Authorized composition of the Films Council, which will be created to advise the Board of Trade's president on quota matters, is : four producer members, including a representative of "shorts" producers ; five ex (Continued on page 3) Ascap Members Hold Annual Meet Here Problems facing Ascap on many fronts were discussed here yesterday at the annual membership meeting of the society at the Waldorf-Astoria. In his annual report Deems Taylor, who will bow out as president this year after serving six terms, disclosed the membership of the society stood at 2.284. an increase of 58 since the last membership meeting Oct. 10. Taylor presided. Sharing the dais with him were Frank H. Connor, chairman of the executive committee of Ascap, and Louis D. Frohlich, the society's counsel. Ascap officers are expected to be elected by the directors on April 29. Set DeMille Labor Hearing for May 11 Washington, April 8. — Cecil B. DeMille will appear before the House Labor Committee on May 11 on hearings on "the right to work." The date for the hearings, twice postponed, were fixed today in a conference between DeMille and Committee chairman Hartley? Hartley said he was "satisfied" the hearings would result in legislation protecting workingmen's rights to work despite union restrictions. Double UJA Goal For Drive in 1948 A goal of $2,400,000 has been set for . the amusement division of the United Jewish Appeal for 1948, S. H. Fabian announced at an organizational luncheon-meeting, of which he was chairman, at the Hotel Astor here yesterday. The figure is double last year's. Featured speaker at the meeting was Xorman Lourie, president of Palestine Films and also associate of 20th Century-Fox in South Africa and United Artists' Palestinian representative. He outlined the urgency of the drive. Barney Balaban, Paramount president and national chairman of the UJA amusement division, also spoke, urging , (Continued on page 3) MP A A to Inquire Into French Discriminations N. Y. Cinema Lodge To Honor Balaban Barney Balaban. Paramount president, will be presented with a gold B'nai B'rith medallion and life membership in Cinema Lodge, "for his devotion to the welfare of the entertainment industry unit of B'nai B'rith since its inception." Presentation will take place at the lodge's dinner to its retiring president, Robert M. Weitman. and its new president, S. Arthur Glixon, at the Hotel Astor next Wednesdav. XI. S. film companies have requested Gerald Mayer, managing director of the Motion Picture Association of America's international division, to ask MPAA Paris representative Frank McCarthy to examine the situation in France with reference to the Blum-Byrnes accord and report on the advisability of seeking to have the film phase of the agreement renegotiated, it was disclosed here yesterday following a meeting between Mayer and foreign managers. Renegotiation would be between the (Continued on page 3) Hughes-RKO Stock Deal Is Called Off Odium Says 'No Other Negotiations Pending' Howard Hughes' negotiations for purchase of a controlling stock interest in RKO from Atlas Corp. were called off yesterday after having been under way for months. Floyd B. Odium, Atlas president, announced the ending of the negotiations with the following statement : "Conversations between my old friend, Howard Hughes, and myself relating to the purchase and sale of RKO stock have been terminated without agreement. No other negotiations are now pending." The last sentence of the Odium statement may have referred to the "interest" in purchasing the Atlas' RKO stock which Robert R. Young, head of Pathe Industries-Eagle-Lion, claimed several months ago. Loyd Wright, attorney for Hughes, (Continued on page 3) NYC Censor Bill's Defeat Sure: MPAA New York City License Commissioner Benjamin Fielding's rejection of a proposed ordinance which would broaden his censorship powers over motion pictures, plays and all advertising relating to them, was interpreted by Motion Picture Association of America spokesmen yesterday as assurance that councilman Edward A. (Continued on page 3) Sale of R i alt o to Mage Nears Closing Deal is about to be consummated for the purchase of the Rialto Theatre, here, by Mage Films from Arthur Mayer and his partners in ownership, including Sam Dembow, it is understood. Mage Films is headed by James Mage, distributor of foreign, product in the U. S. who is expected to make the Rialto a "showcase." _ Mayer is reported to be preparing to enter an industry position after sale of the theatre. Ws hulds kis Dre&m House draws raves from the critics