Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1948)

FIRST IN FILM NEWS picruftE^i J Accurate Concise and Impartial 63. NO. 126 — IN TWO SECTIONS SECTION ONE NEW YORK, U.S.A., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1948 TEN CENTS 5th and Walnut Trust Suit Won By Defendants Jury Finds No Evidence Of Conspiracy, Monopoly A verdict in favor of the defendants was returned in U. S. District Court here yesterday by the jury in the $2,100,000 anti-trust suit brought against the distributors by the Fifth and Walnut Amusement Corp. of Louisville. The jury of 11 men and one woman, after deliberating for nearly four hours, held that there was no evidence of monopoly or conspiracy on the part of the defendants. Judge Vincent L. Leibell charged the jury for three hours, pointing out that the burden of proof was on the plaintiff. The trial was in progress for about seven weeks. The plaintiff had accused the defendants of engaging in a conspiracy (Continued on page 3, section I) 6IA' Bids Lawmakers Attend Convention Members of Congress who voted for the Taft-Hartley Act were invited yesterday to attend IATSE's international convention as a means of finding out at first hand whether America needs more or less laborcontrol legislation. The bid ■ came from Richard F. Walsh, "IA" president. He said Congressmen, the press and public may attend the biennial gathering of the union in Cleveland on August 16. There, he declared, they will find "conclusive proof that the duly selected (Continued on page 3) Oregon Clearances Have Been Reduced Portland, Ore., June 29.— In consequence of the recent U. S. Supreme Court decision in the Paramount case, clearance schedules for Oregon theatres have been moved up from seven to 14 days by most film exchanges here. The advanced playdates, however, have not been enough to overcome the summer slump which finds boxoffice receipts down by 10 to 15 per cent in this area. Mayer Feted By UJA Here Motion Picture Association of America president Eric A. Johnston, Theatre Owners of America president Ted R. Gamble, industry attorney Louis Nizer and James D. McDonald, U. S. r e p r esentative -•Jj ' to Israel, last night cited before a gathering of 1,000 at the Hotel Astor here the industry, public service and philanthropic activities of Louis B. Mayer, production head of Louis B. Maj-er M-G-M The occasion was a dinner given by the Amusement industry division of the United Jewish Appeal, under the chairmanship of S. H. Fabian, who heads the amusement group of UJA in the New York Metropolitan area. Gamble was toastmaster. Johnston presented Mayer with a large illuminated scroll of appreciation in behalf of the industry. "The story of Louis B. Mayer is the great American story told all over (Continued on page 2, section I) Allied Backs 20th's Conciliation Plan _ West End, N. J., June 29. — National Allied, through its president, William Ainsworth, and its Eastern units, through their respective representatives, have endorsed fully the local grievance committee plan established by 20th-Fox in Minneapolis in cooperation with North Central Allied, to be made applicable by 20th to other territories. The Allied action is the first formal organizational approval (Continued on page 3, section I) Lachman Accepts Jersey Presidency West End, N. J., June 29.— Edward Lachman, who has been president of New Jersey Allied for the nast two years, was prevailed upon by the organization's membership at today's session of its annual convention to accept re-election. Lachman had (Continued on page 3) French Reject 25% Tax on Film Imports Paris, June 29.— -The French National Assembly voted today 408 to 183 against a Communist proposal to tax receipts of foreign films in France 25 per cent in order to provide a $3,300,000 subsidy for the French film industry. The Assembly also deferred action on a second bill to set up a tax on French and foreign films according to footage by sending the proposal back to committee for study. LeSieur Heads UA's Ad-Publicity Dept. Howard LeSieur, assistant director of advertising-publicity of United Artists since January, 1947, has been named director of that department, it was announced here yesterday by Gradwell L. Sears, president of the company. He succeeds Paul N. Lazarus, Jr., who has been named executive assistant to Sears, as previously reported. LeSieur, with the company since 1933 after five years with the Hanff-Metzger Advertising Agency ( now Buchanan and Co. ) , (Continued on page 2, section I) Howard LeSieur 'IT Filming Will Cease in August Hollywood, June 29. — Universal officially disclosed today that the studio will have no pictures shooting during August, and all personnel whose presence is not required by editing, scoring, or other post-shooting operations, will take vacations during that period. Although the studio points out that the plan was worked out prior to LT-I production chief William Goetz's departure for England, it was made possible by a large backlog of completed films, and contemplates a September start on scripts completed during the production lull. Hollywood observers, however, interpret the arrangement as well timed with respect to possible consequences of an actors strike in August. Lords Approve New British Quota Order Swinton Warns It May Encourage Poor Films London, June 29. — The House of Lords today approved the new' 45 per cent film quota order without division, as had been expected. Already approved by Commons, the order is now law, effective next Oct. 1. Opposition to the order during the debate in the House of Lords was limited for the most part to Lord Swinton, former president of the Board of Trade. In replying to the opposition, Lord Chcrley, government spokesman, stated significantly that while Harold Wilson, Board of Trade president, had attempted to adopt a realistic attitude in establishing the new percentage, the quota had been fixed with the potentialities of the larger circuits in mind. Lord Chorley admitted that British producers are perhaps unduly optimis(Continued on page 3, section I) Say New U.S. Film Embargo Is Unwise London, June 29. — That American companies would be unwise to contemplate another withdrawal from the British film market was the unanimous view of the London branch of the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association at its meeting here today. Holding that the new 45 per cent British film quota is ludicrous, if not tragic, and roundly criticizing J. Arthur Rank, the meeting nevertheless felt it would not only be bad tactics but worse business for Americans to pull out of this market again. The meeting referred to Rank's insatiable appetite and his "gluttonous (Continued on page 3, section I) Canada Will Not Restrict FilmDollars Ottawa, June 29. — After several months of negotiations between Ottawa and the U. S. industry, it is definitelv reported now that the $10,000,000 " to $15,000,000 spent annually in Canada on film rentals will continue and no restrictive measures will be adopted by the government to conserve the spending of U. S. film (Continued on page 3, section I)