Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1948)

Monday, July 12, 1948 Motion Picture daily 7 Studio Space Inquiry in UK London, July 11.— A British Board of Trade committee, regarded in many circles here as a thin end of the wedge of nationalization, has been formed to "consider whether or not to hold for the. use of independent producers Gove.'*"j3hnt-owned or centrally-owned stupact." BOT president Harold Wilson, however, has repeated his assurances that he is primarily interested in assisting the independents and that the formation of the committee is the only course open to him. Several months ago he had indicated the government might subsidize independent producers but nothing has come of that "pledge," and the independents have been resentful. Former Permanent Secretary for Colonies, Sir George Henry Gater, has been designated chairman of the committee. Other members are distinguished public officials also, but no film representative was named. UK Default Probe (Continued from page 1) statistics for the British Board of Trade to prove that British pictures were available for quota defaulters last year. Protesting that formation of the fact-finding unit is no threat, Sir Henry nevertheless admitted that if it finds that exhibitors are allegedly showing more imported films than the quota prescribes, it is possibly because exhibitors get them at a cheaper rate than that paid for British films. The "facts" to be unearthed by the probers will be given to the British Film Council for use by the BOT, Sir Henry said, urging that this plan be supported in preference to the present practice whereby defaulters are not ascertained until the year's end, the latter method being impractical in his opinion. "We shall now know whether an exhibitor is going to default," he said. Sir Henry pleaded that exhibitors should welcome the plan in view of the BFPA's intention to support exhibitors' claims to relief under the quota if it is ascertained that such claims are justifiable. He admitted the BOT was not consulted on the plan. Sir Henry's announcement provoked an immediate blaze of anger among exhibitors. Typical reference to the fact-finding unit was "Rank's Gestapo." Cinematographers Exhibitors Association general secretary W. R. Fuller declared he will take the matter up forthwith with BOT president Harold Wilson. See Little Gained In New Zealand Quiz By R. A. USMAR Wellington, New Zealand, July 6 (By Airmail).— The New Zealand government's film inquiry has adjourned hearings after three weeks without having unearthed anything of moment. General opinion in the industry is that the inquiry did not uncover anything new and the government will find it difficult to effect any momentous improvements in the conduct of the business here. A summary of the points raised and debated follow : Monopoly of exhibition : There will probably be some legislation to limit the circuits to their present size, plat least licensing restrictions of limiting joint ownership between circuits and independents. Control : It is practically certain that the control of exhibition will be required to be in the hands of New Zealand or British national licensees. A licensing tribunal most likely will be established to replace the present licensing officer, and no theatre will be permitted to be built or licenses transferred without this tribunal's consent. Narrow-gauge film : 16mm is certain to come under the same rules and regulations as 35mm — meaning that exhibitors' licenses will be required for screening entertainment 16mm films. Film supply: Probably the licensing tribunal and the Film Industry Board will have power to regulate the film supply in competitive areas in order to prevent over-buying and unfair restrictive trade practices. Censorship : It was generally recognized that New Zealand's censorship is fair and reasonable. Production : Encouragement — possibly financial — will be given to the production of newsreels and shorts, but there was no enthusiasm for locally-produced features unless under American or British auspices. Douglas 'Tied Up'; No Report on Quota Washington, July 11. — Secretary of State Marshall told a press conference here on Friday that the Department had not yet received any report from Ambassador Douglas _ in London on the British quota revision. The Department had instructed Douglas to' express its "concern" and to make a full report on the situation. Both industry and State Department officials have word, however, that Douglas has been too tied up with the more pressing negotiations on Berlin and the ECA agreement to put in the required time on the film situation. Robert Clark Heads (Continued from page 1) here to be a loosening of the recent tight control of the company by Warner Brothers, which has a substantial interest in ABPC. Meanwhile, C. J. Latta, formerly Warner Theatres zone manager in Albany, N. Y., who was transferred here by WB to be overseer of ABPC theatre operations in behalf of Warner, has been nominated by Max Milder to be his alternate director on the company's board during Milder's absence because of illness. Annual ABPC stockholders' meeting will be held here on July 29. Canadian Exports Drop Ottawa, July 11. — Canadian film exports dropped in the first five months of 1948 to $1,714,000, compared with $1,338,000 in the corresponding period last year. Brazil Rule Attacked (Continued from page 1) by the distributors to withhold product from Brazil's theatres. In any event such action would stem not from local American distribution offices here, but rather from the Motion Picture Association of America in Washington. Five Units Set Up To Aid Sanitarium Five regional fund-raising committees have been organized among distributors and exhibitor organizations ori behalf of the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital at Saranac Lake, N. Y., Robert Mochrie, chairman of the distributors' committee to aid the sanitarium, has announced here. Units were set up in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington and Buffalo following meetings in those cities. DuMont Asks Rise In Video Channels Washington, July 11. — Allen B. DuMont Laboratories has suggested that the Federal Communications Commission make • eight additional television channels available for commercial telecasts, boosting the present 12 to 20 by taking channels away from Government services and other present holders. The firm presented the broad outlines of the plan Friday before the commission's hearings on reallocation of the existing 12 channels. It will fill in the details on July 26, when hearings are to be resumed. The hearings, which have been studying situations in specific localities, recessed late Friday. They will resume for general presentation in two weeks, at which time 20th Century-Fox of New England, Columbia and American Broadcasting Systems, Westinghouse, Philco and the Television Broadcasters Association will all testify in addition to DuMont. Miller Heads First U-I Drive Winners Winners of the first prizes in Universal-International's 26-week "Presidential Sales Drive" are Dave Miller, district manager for Albany, Buffalo and New Haven ; manager Eugene Vogel of Albany, who led in the East ; manager Carl Ost, winner in the South ; Jack Bannan, Milwaukee manager, winner in the West, and salesmen J. H. Parker, Boston, Eastern leader ; Hugh Nesbitt, St. Louis, Southern winner, and Harry Blatt, Seattle, Western winner. Ohio Meeting To Aid Will Rogers Hospital Cleveland, July 11. — District and branch managers of Cleveland and Cincinnati will meet at luncheon in the Statler Hotel on Tuesday when Andy W. Smith, Jr., 20th-Fox general sales manager, and Charles Reagan, Paramount's general sales manager, will address them on the needs of the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital. Sam Shain, 20th-Fox public relations head, will accompany them to Cleveland. 'Illegals' Opens Wed. World premiere of "The Illegals," documentary drama of the exodus of displaced Jews from Europe to Palestine, will be held at the Ambassador Theatre here Wednesday. Mayer-Burl styn is distributing. Reels, Video Set for Philadelphia Encore Philadelphia, July 11. — Television and newsreel crews began another week of "abnormal" operations here at the weekend with 30 newsreel cameras and the equipment of an 18-station video pool spotted in and around Convention Hall for the Democrats' national convention which will open officially tomorrow. The newsreel men declare that they will conform to the same policy in effect at the Republican conclave last month, that is, issuing special clips of convention footage when news importance warrants it. Otherwise all material will be incorporated in the regular midweek and weekend editions. _ J. R. Poppele, president of Television Broadcasters Association, and coordinator of the General Television Committee for pooled coverage, promises an improvement in the video reporting with errors made at the Republican meeting corrected. These will be of a technical nature, it was said. Paramount Video (Continued from page 1) top news developments and these can be determined only when they occur, thus there will be no advance advertising. Employing its intermediate, or photographic, process, the theatre will hold the video news film until it can be worked into its regular program. Instead of interrupting the feature the material will be held until a scheduled short or newsreel clip can be eliminated. It is in this respect that Paramount claims an advantage over direct projection of television which must be shown simultaneously with the covered subject matter. Eighteen Eastern television stations are in the convention pool. The amount Paramount has agreed to pay was not disclosed, but it is known the company offered to share cable costs during the Republican convention last month, its share being estimated then at over $4,000. Video Film Council Sets July 22 Meet Second meeting of the National Television Film Council will be held here on July 22 at Sardi's for further discussion of a standard exhibition contract for films on video, a clearance bureau for exhibition video rights and a catalogue of television films. Melvin L. Gold is NTFC chairman. Kieran to Infl Tele-Film John Kieran, sports writer and of radio's "Information Please," is one of the first "big names" in radio to be signed to an exclusive contract for a series of television film programs. He is to be featured in a weekly series titled "Kieran's Kaleidoscope," produced by International Tele-Film, New York, according to Paul F. Moss, president. Moss announced also that Budd Schulberg, author, has signed an exclusive contract to write and direct a series for the company. Bids for Video Channel Washington, July 11. — Twentieth Century-Fox's road to a Seattle tele' vision station has become a little ' rougher with the entry of Edward Lasker as applicant for a station there, ■ bringing to six the number of indi ■ viduals and firms seeking three available channels.