Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1948)

4 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, October 19, 19< RKO Officials' Aid May Save a Life London, Oct. 18. — The life of Airs Reginald Nash, wife of RKO Radio's manager at Sheffield, Yorkshire, may have been saved by the good deed of Robert Wolff, RKO managing director here, and Phil Reisman, RKO foreign manager. Dangerously ill, Mrs. Nash could be helped only by streptomycin, doctors felt. The drug is not available here. Wolff phoned Reisman in New York and the latter had the doctor's prescription on a plane in a few hours. It was rushed to Mrs. Nash who now stands every chance of recovery. British Lion (Continued from page 1) financing program, leaving it to distributors to find the other 75 per cent. Interest rates will depend on the risk involved, he indicated, although he visualizes four per cent as a minimum. Loans could be extended up to the maximum of five years, the period for which the corporation is chartered by the government. Film Finance Corp. at present is empowered to deal under Treasury guarantee with sums up to $10,000,000. Services for O'Malley (Continued from page 1) weekend after a short illness. He is survived by the widow, Pauline Killen O'Malley, and a brother Thomas. Born in Boston and educated at Boston University, he originally started with C.B.C. Film Sales Corp., and subsequently was associated with Equity Pictures and F.B.O. He joined Columbia in 1934. O'Malley was a member of AMPA, serving as treasurer in 1942, and as vice-president in 1945. S. S. Goodlett, 53 Denver, Oct. 18.— Sebe S. Goodlett, 53, for 18 years a National Screen Service salesman, died at his homehere after an illness of a month. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Alice Goodlett. Funeral services were held in Denver, with burial in Georgetown. Texas, his birthplace. At 23, he operated a theatre there. Mrs. Edythe C. Neill Hollywood, Oct. 18. — Edythe Chapman Neill, 85, screen and stage, died at her home in Glendale on Friday after a brief illness. The widow of James Neill, actor, she came to Hollywood nearly 40 years ago and began in pictures for Cecil B. DeMille. Frank Salley, Salesman Atlanta, Oct. 18. — Frank W. Salley, 55, for many years sales representative for RKO Radio in Atlanta, died on Saturday of a heart attack in Chicago while attending the meeting of the Colosseum of Motion Picture Salesmen of America. William Evans, 55 Portland, Ore., Oct. 18.— William Leonard Evans, 55, pioneer exhibitor, who for many years operated the Post Street Theatre at Spokane, died at Seaside, Ore., today. Clinton Payne, Exhibitor Pawtucket, R. I., Oct. 18. — Funeral services were held today for Clinton Payne, owner of the Leroy Theatre here, who died Saturday night. 3 to Hit Proposal (Continued from page 1) ment's proposed findings and conclusions : "Clearance, reasonable as to time and area, is essential in the distribution and exhibition of motion pictures whenever and wherever the available supply of prints is inadequate to satisfy the demand for simultaneous exhibition." Meanwhile, lawyers for the theatreowning defendants are preparing briefs answering the one submitted by the Department which asks for early divestiture of approximately 1,400 theatres and ultimate divorcement. They intend to raise the point that the Government in its document attempts to shift the burden of proof upon the distributors, demanding that the companies show why theatres should not be divested, instead of the Government showing why they should, it is believed. Lawyers are moving ahead on the possibility, if not probability, that a consent decree will not be entered on the subject of divestiture before the Nov. 8 hearing on the form of an order in the case. Several company lawyers queried here yesterday professed no knowledge of any new progress having been made in the direction of a settlement. AAA Files (Continued from page 1) St. Louis Circuit Court of Appeals, throwing out the case, and today the AAA and Connc filed their briefs. The AAA argued that the distributors could not be held guilty for merely complying with a system set up in the consent decree. The decree was a valid exercise of the New York Court's power, it declared, and any question of its validity is now foreclosed by the Supreme Court's Paramount decision. "If the full purport of the Paramount decision is to be realized," it said, "then it follows that the actions of the distributors within the framework of the consent decree constitute no actionable wrong under the Sherman Act." If the distributors had acted any differently, the brief pointed out, they would have exposed themselves to possible contempt proceedings. The AAA also claimed that the U. S. was a vital party to the case since it agreed to the consent decree. $840,000 Trust Suit (Continued from page 1) with violations of the Sherman and Clayton anti-trust acts. Similar to anti-trust suits filed in other sections of the country, the charges date from Jan. 1, 1941 to May 1, 1945 when the Tiffin played in "C" week of release. Defendants are : Balaban and Katz, Publix Great States, Warner, Loew's, RKO Radio, 20th Century-Fox, Paramount, Columbia, Universal and United Artists. Seymour Simon is plaintiff's attorney. M-G-M Drops 'Mountie' Ottawa, Oct. 18. — Sam Marx, producer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, Hollywood, said here today the studio has dropped its plan to make a feature picture of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Marx, who left for New York later, said his company was leaving the subject to 20th Century-Fox because "we find that Fox has already made a considerable investment in a picture dealing with the RCMP." 'Joan' Benefit for Hospital Charity The United Hospital Fund here will be the beneficiary next month of a special pre-premiere performance of "Joan of Arc," starring Ingrid Bergman. The event, to be attended by state and city officials and leaders of New York society as well as stars of stage and screen, will take place Wednesday evening Nov. 10, in the Victoria Theatre here. The performance is being made possible by Sierra Pictures, comprising Miss Bergman, Victor Fleming, director, and Walter Wanger, producer. The Victoria is being donated for the performance by Robert W. Dowling, president of City Investing Co. Warner Bros. Can Sue Joan Leslie Washington, Oct. 18.— The U. S. Supreme Court here today refused to review a California Supreme Court decision that Warner Brothers can go ahead with a breach of contract suit against Joan Leslie, who, on reaching 21, broke a contract made when she was 17. She claimed she was a minor and could not be held responsible. Warner then sued to keep her from working for any other studio on the ground the contract was binding. Lower California courts found for Miss Leslie, said Warner could not sue but the California Supreme Court said it could. Telecasters To Meet Dec. 8 Annual meeting and television clinic of the Television Broadcasters Association will be held on Dec. 8 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel here. WNot one out of a thousand of our patrons even remotely realizes the investment we have made to give them high quality sound and complete listening satisfaction. To safeguard that investment, the Altec engineer's regular visits to our theatres are a good investment in themselves, and we are aware that we are getting even more than his personal know-how. We know the value to us .ALTEC 1 61 Sixth Avenue New Ynrk 13. N. Y. Griffith Case (Continued from page 1) terprises is substantially nothing moi than a new name for the original de: fendant firms in the nine-year-old ant trust action, Wex-Tex Theatres an: R. E. Griffith Theatres. Cochrane said, however, that wit the death several years ago of R. I Griffith, the two Texas circuits un derwent a change in ownership. E J. Griffith, one of the original defend ants in the case, is president ofi^^a tre Enterprises. Of the threew ;i| fith brothers originally involved in th action, "H. J." is now the only on remaining active. L. C. Griffith, president of Okla homa Griffith Amusement Co., suf1 fered a stroke two years ago and haj since retired. The U. S. Supreme Court's mandat in the Griffith case reversed lowe court decisions and held the circuit guilty of Sherman Act violations. Rooney and Steife In New Company Hollywood, Oct. 18., — Rooney-i Steifel, Inc., new production company for pictures, television films and radic packages, was announced here. Of-! ficers are : Mickey Rooney, president Mort Briskin, vice-president; SanStiefel, secretary-treasurer. Critics Hear Seadler Silas F. Seadler, M-G-M director of advertising, addressed the Critics' Circle of the Foreign Language Press here at the weekend. He discussed pictures in general and their' relation to the foreign speaking population of New York. Clarence Kaimann, president, Kaimann Theatres, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., says: of the constant Altec research work in improving methods to make our equipment do a better job of entertainment, and operate economically. We think of Altec as a friend of our box office. 59 Altec Service, known for its "service over and above the contract," is a vital ingredient of your theatre's ability to meet successfully the competition of other forms of entertainment. An Altec Service contract is the soundest long-term investment an exhibitor ran make today. THE SERVICE ORGANIZATION OF THE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY WE THINK OF ALTEC AS A FRIEND OF 00R BOX OFFICE"