Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1948)

2 Motion Picture daily Monday, November 8, 1948 Personal Mention DA. DORAN, Paramount production executive, is here from the Coast for a two-week stay. 1 • Charles P. Skouras, president of National Theatres, and Mrs. Skouras announced the engagement of their niece, Miss Constantina Skouras of Athens, Greece, to William Oldknow, son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Oldknow, at a dinner-dance at the Bel Air Country Club, Hollywood, Saturday night. • Robert M. Savini, Astor Pictures president, returned to New York over the weekend from a trip through the South, while Jacques Kopfstein, executive vice-president, left on Friday for a tour of exchanges en route to Florida. • Ingrid Bergman is due here today from the Coast for the premiere of "Joan of Arc" at the Victoria Theatre on Wednesday. Victor Fleming, director, arrived here at the weekend. • Charles Simonelli, Universal-International Eastern exploitation manager, returned to New York at the weekend from Baltimore. • George F. Van Weyenbergh, assistant manager of Westrex's Brussels office, has arrived here from his headquarters. • Alan F. Cummings, head of MG-M exchange operations, is due in Milwaukee today from Chicago. • Gene Kelly, M-G-M star, flew to London over the weekend from New York. Johnston's "We're All in It" Out Today "We're All in It," Eric Johnston's new book, is published today by E. P. Dutton and Co. The Motion Picture Association of America president describes it as the "back stage story of the global drama of today," covering his international contacts with the great, near-great and nondescript. Discounting war in the foreseeable future, he calls for a stronger America whose foreign policy should not be shaped by "a few politicians." "We're all in it," he says, "and the lives of everyone of us will be affected by what we do or don't do as a great world power in the years immediately ahead." Truman Is Televised On Paramount Screen President Truman's return to Washington following his election was televised on the large-screen of the Paramount Theatre on Friday. The video report was relayed from the Capital to local stations and to the theatre here. The Paramount, using its special process, photographed the television images in its projection booth and projected the film on its screen. New Film Cabinet to Aid Fire Protection Washington, Nov. 7. — A 1,500 degree flame failed even to heat 24 cans of nitrate film in a new film storage cabinet demonstrated here by John G. Bradley, on leave from the Library of Congress. Although the cabinet was completely surrounded by flame, the film was said to have come out cool and completely undamaged. It was shown to be resistant to fire w.ithin the cans as well, in a test during which one can within the cabinet was ignited from without by an electric wire. The film within that can was completely destroyed — but 23 other can were untouched. Three Variety Tents Elect New Officers Variety tents of Washington, Philadelphia and Charlotte have elected new officers for 1948-49. In Washington, officers of Tent No. 11 elected by the new board of governors include : Jake Flax, Republic branch manager, chief barker, succeeding Frank Boucher, who will serve as national canvasman ; Wade Pearson, district manager for Neighborhood Theatres, first assistant chief barker ; Morton Gerber, District Theatres executive, second assistant ; Sam Galanty, Columbia division manager, treasurer, and Jerry Adams, M-G-M branch manager, property master. Nathan D. Golden, head of the motion picture bureau of the Department of Commerce, and Fred S. Kogod, of Kogod-Burka Theatres, were named delegates to the 1949 Variety convention, to be held in San Francisco, while J. E. Fontaine and Pearson were elected alternates. Election was held by the Philadelphia Variety Club, Tent No. 13, and the following crew members were named : Clint Weyer, Frank MacNamee, Al Davis, Jack Greenberg, Mike Felt" Meyer Edelman, Jack Burrison, Ben Biben, Dick Blanc, Hal Cohen, Bill Doyle, Ed Emanuel, Charles Goldfine, Fred Mann, Harry Penneys and David Supowitz. The two delegates chosen for the International Variety Club are Al Davis and Jack Greenberg ; alternates are Earl Sweigert and Hal Cohen. Charlotte's Variety Club selected the following crew : Scott Lett, who will be chief barker ; Al Dureen, Joe Bishop, Rovy Branon, A. B. Carver, Tom Little, H. F. Kincey, Earl Mulwee, Augustus Stout and Paul Hargett. 'Joan' Opening on Video The premiere of "Joan of Arc," starring Ingrid Bergman, will be telecast in a special 30-minute program by WJZ-TV on Wednesday night from the remodeled Victoria Theatre here. Proceeds of the event will go to the United Hospital Fund. Theatre Alarm Setup Monopolistic: ITOA Independent Theatre Owners Association of New York has "taken steps to crush" the American District Telegraph system here which, it is al • leged, "exercises monopolistic control over an out-moded fire alarm service which furnishes a telegraphic communication between theatres and the fire department, to be used in cases of emergency." An ITOA appeal against the system to the City Board of Hazardous Trades has been rejected without opinion. The organization, .a spokesman said at the weekend, will now seek remedies within the Fire Department and the Board of Standards and Appeals. The system, ITOA claims, "was set up during the 'horse and buggy' days prior to the general use of the telephone, at a time when modern fire safety provisions did not prevail and when inflammable scenery was utilized or stored backstage." ITOA charges that "unnecessary and exorbitant fees are exacted from all theatres with a capacity in excess of 600 seats" under the system. No legal basis exists for the continuation of these fire alarm communications in theatres .under present law, ITOA holds. Wilson Finds Use For Blocked Funds London, Nov. 7. — Harold Wilson, president of the Board of Trade, would like to see American film companies utilize some of their unremittable sterling her.e in the building and maintenance of an Oxford University Theatre. He expressed the hope in opening an exhibition -of models of a proposed building at Oxford recently, remarking, too, that with the aid the British film industry is being given by the government it, too, might be prosperous enough to make a contribution. Flaherty Testimonial Roberty Flaherty, director and producer of documentaries, among which "The Louisiana Story" is in current release, will be honor guest at a testimonial luncheon to be held on Wednesday at the Sheraton Hotel here by the New York Film Council. Willard Van Dyke, Council president, will preside. Reception for Diplomats Representatives of the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization and Australian, Philippine and Siamese government officials will attend a reception and premiere here this afternoon of a film series entitled "Our Changing World," at the RCA Exhibition Hall. 'I A' Member to Congress Roy W. Wier, member of IATSE Local No. 13, Minneapolis, was elected last week to a seat in the U. S. House of Representatives, the "IA" office here announced at the weekend. A Democrat-Farmer-Laborite, Wier defeated incumbent Congressman George MacKinnon, Minnesota Republican. Newsreel Parade JLTARRY S. TRUMAN's surprfc ■*■ ■*■ ing election victory is covered by all current newsreels, and two devote th-eir entire footage to that event. Other happenings spotlighted include wrestling, football and the Palestine war. Complete synopses follow: MOVIETONE NEWS, No. 89— Truman's dramatic triumph. Israeli knee battle Arabs in Negev. Six-day bike raCiai ^ Chicago. "Georgeous George" vvi^f' ;s in Canada. NEWS OF THE DAY, No. 219— The Truman Story. PARAMOUNT NEWS, No. 22— Israeli victims in Negev desert fighting. Truman': smashing victory. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL, No. 19JFootball: Michigan State vs. Oregon State. Women coal sorters. Greek anniversary. 5. S. Queen Mary in drydock. Palestine war. Truman wins. WARNER PATHE NEWS, No. 24— Election special: Truman wins. To Bid D. of J. Rule On 'Disc' Formula Ruling by the Department of Justice on legality of the formula mapped out between the American Federation of Musicians and the phonograph recording industry to end the recording ban in effect since Jan. 1, 1948, will be sought in Washington on Wednesday, AFM president James C. Petrillo announced here on Friday. Under the formula, a public music fund to be administered by a trustee would provide about $1,500,000 w.orth of free public music annually from royalties paid by the recording industry. The fund, previously administered on a one per cent cost basis by the Federation, is threatened with extinction by passage of Federal legislation which terminated contracts between the union and. the musicians for payment of such royalties, Petrillo said. Radio Writers Halt Strike, Resume Talks The negotiating committee of the Radio Writers' Guild, a branch of the Authors League of America, has resumed contract talks with a group of advertising agencies and radio-program sponsors against whom the writers have been on strike here for 10 days. As a result of the resumptior of talks, it was announced that the guild would suspend strike actior against all advertising agency-produced shows. J. R. Mandelbaum, assistant regional director of the United States Conciliation Service, proposed the strike suspension last Tuesday. SWG Election Nov. 17 Hollywood, Nov. 7. — Election meeting of the Screen Writers Guild will be held on Nov. 17 following a meeting by the SWG board to inter view candidates for election. The board has approved motions for sev eral constitutional amendments to be submitted to the membership, includ ing the raising of a quorum to 20 per cent from 10 per cent and pro vision for mail referendums. 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