Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1949)

FIRST IN FILM NEWS MOTION PICTURE VOL. 66, NO. 12 NEW YORK, U.S. A., TUESDAY, JULY 19, 1949 TEN CENTS Italy's Film Import Plans Are Advanced Interim Loans Are Cut To 1,000,000 Lira By ARGEO SANTUCCI • Rome, July 18. — A special committee of Parliament has approved the new regulations to govern importation of foreign films into Italy and the measure now will be submitted to the Senate. The most important amendment provides for a compulsory loan of one million lira for each film imported from Jan. 1 last to the date of enforcement of the new law, instead of two and one-half million lira as originally proposed. The compulsory loans will be two and one-half million lira for each imported film after the date of enforcement of the measure, however. One foreign film will be admitted free from the loan requirement for every Italian film distributed abroad. The cabinet council is authorized to issue regulations governing distribution and rental percentage terms, but may not specify maximum terms. A preliminary conference between exhibitors and distributors on proposed regulations failed to produce results. Income at Most N. Y. 1st Runs Steady; ,000 for 'Gatsby' The majority of New York's first runs are experiencing another week of generally good business with intermittent cloudiness and rain apparently providing a nice assist at the weekend. The presentation houses, particularly the Music Hall, expect to draw a little extra revenue during the remainder of this week with the convention of International Lions Clubs bringing an estimated 30,000 members and their families to town. The big newcomer is "Great Gatsby," with Peggy Lee and Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra on stage, at the Paramount where the first week's take is figured at $90,000, which is very strong. Another new one, "Calamity Jane and Sam Bass," is doing fair enough at the Criterion which looks (Continued on page 5) Meet to Weigh UKUS Council Action London, July 18. — President of the Board of Trade Harold Wilson's National Film Production Council, comprising representatives: of producers and unions, will meet here on Wednes• day to note members' views ;concerning the possibility of their interests being affected by the' proposals advanced at the Washington meeting of the Anglo-U. S. Films Council. British unions have been concerned (.Continued on page 5) Invite Exhibitors to Para. 'Contest' Meets Arrangements for the participation of prominent exhibitors in Paramount's "Gold Rush of '49 Contest" meetings in August have been made by Hugh Owen, the company's Eastern and Southern division manager, it was announced here yesterday. Owen, who has just returned from (Continued on page 4) Laboratory Strike Seen in Few Days The threatened strike of the Motion Picture Laboratory Technicians, Local 702, IATSE, "will take place in a few days" John J. Francavilla, local president, reported here yesterday. At a weekend meeting, some 1,500 members unanimously empowered the executive board to call a strike. Negotiations which have been going (Continued on page 5) Patrons Cheer Plea For Excise Tax Cut Oscar Doob, chairman of the executive committee of the Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatres Association, reported yesterday that a personal check of some 70 theatres in New York City and by telephone to other theatres in 42 cities revealed enthusiastic audience response to Senator Edwin C. Johnson's newsreel speech advocating a cut-back to pre-war levels of excise taxes, including the admission tax. Applause and cheering greeted the speech, it was stated. Johnston to Meet Arnall Washington, July 18 — President Eric Johnston of the Motion Picture Association of America and Ellis Arnall, president of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers, will meet here tomorrow for a lengthy "general discussion of the situation of the motion picture industry." Arnall, who arrived here today for a "lengthy stay," asked for the meeting, and Johnston, who returned over the week-end from several weeks on (Continued on page 5) Film Quota for Western Germany Is Abandoned Richard Spier, 55, FWC Manager, Dead San Francisco, July 18. — Funeral services will be held in Oakland tomorrow for Richard Spier, 55, veteran theatreman, who died at his home in that city early today following a long illness. Born in Manheim, Germany, Spier was with Fox West Coast Theatres for the past 20 years. He was appointed Northern California division manager for F-WC in March, 1945, which position he held at the time of his death. Spier left on leave of absence last February at which time Spencer Leve, former manager of the Southern California district, succeeded him. Spier was a past president of the California Theatre Association. His wife, mother and one brother Washington, July 18. — John J. McCloy, U. S. High Commissioner for Germany, has flatly told MPAA President Eric Johnston that there will be no import quota on motion pictures in Western Germany. Johnston last week wrote Secretary of State Dean Acheson that he had been advised from Germany that such a quota was being considered by the Joint Export-Import Agency, and urged the State Department to take the strongest possible stand against such a quota. What was not revealed last week was that Johnston had also protested directly by cable to McCloy. The answer from McCloy arrived today U. S. Military Government policy is "definitely against" screen import quotas in Germany, McCloy said. He added that quotas will not be approved (Continued on page 5) All Industry Film Festival Is Proposed Suggests 10,000 Theatres Play Top Films in Oct. A film festival during the month of October, 1949, when distributors would release about 20 of their most important pictures and with possibly as many as 10,000 theatres playing them was proposed here yesterday by Gael Sullivan, executive director of Theatre Owners of America, in a memorandum to 600 regionally and nationally prominent persons in the industry. Sullivan's plan calls for the relaxation of clearances and the availability of a greater number of prints so that as many houses as possible could participate. He said that the project is his own personal idea, and is not sponsored by TOA. Backed by full exploitation efforts of the entire industry, the program would be an all-out bid to stimulate business, primarily generating the theatre-going habit among the "60,(Continued on page 5) KATO Elects; Opens Tax Repeal Drive Louisville, Ky., July 18. — Guthrie F. Crowe, of Lagrange, was reelected president of the Kentucky Association of Theatre Owners at its recent meeting here. Other officers elected were : Charles R. Mitchell, Barbourville, vice-president ; Miss Nell G. Borden, Louisville, secretary ; Clifford R. Bueschel, Louisville, treasurer, and Henry J. Stites, Louisville, counsel. Board members elected were : Jack (Continued on page 5) One Dead, 32 Hurt In Mexico City Fire Mexico City, July 18. — One employee killed, 32 injured and damages of $500,000 were the results of the fire and explosion in Columbia Pictures' branch office here, the worst disaster of its kind in Mexico. Columbia is doing business from temporary offices and negatives of destroyed films are available, as they were stored in bank vaults. The body of Fernando Escalante del (Continued on page 5)