Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

FIRST IN FILM NEWS MOTION PICTURE DAILY VOL. 66. NO. 70 NEW YORK, U. S. A., MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1949 TEN CENTS RKO Stock in Metropolitan 'On the Block' Sets Price of $2 Million For 55,000 'A' Shares RKO reportedly has set a price of approximately $2,000,000 for its 55,000 shares of Class "A" stock in Metropolitan Playhouses, extensive New York circuit, which the company is required to relinquish by Nov. 8. While the film company has been given an additional six months to consummate its reorganization under its amended consent decree in the industry trust suit, the Nov. 8 deadline remains unchanged for the termination of joint interests with exhibitor partners. The RKO shares in Metropolitan represent 20 per cent of the entire "A" issue, 50 per cent being held by United Artists Theatres while the remaining 30 per cent is owned by the Skouras interests. The "A" shares in turn constitute 85 per cent overall Metropolitan stock issue ; the "B" shares, which are substantially the same, and which are traded over the (Continued on page 3) Mono. Gross Up $1,147,000 Hollywood, Oct. 9. — Monogram's gross income in the 1949 fiscal year advanced, to $10,177,868 from $9,030,906 despite a decline in foreign rental income, president Steve Broidy announced, adding that the company's operations for the combined months of July and August, 1949, resulted in a gross profit of $57,000. The company's annual report, issued over the weekend, showed a net loss of $1,108,433, which compares with $978,110 for the year before. The lat (Continued on page 3) UJWF Will Honor Warner, Ginsberg Hollywood, Oct. 9. — Jack L. Warner, president of the United Jewish Welfare Fund, will be honored for his work during this year's UJWF drive at the annual awards dinner on October 13 at the Ambassador Hotel. Honored with Warner will be M. F. Berg, 1949 campaign chairman, and Henry Ginsberg, motion picture industry division chairman. They will receive plaques for their efforts. Para. Inviting Bids For Michigan Stock Paramount has announced that it is inviting offers for the purchase of its stock in W. S. Butterfield Theatres and Butterfield Michigan Theatres. The stock in Butterfield Theatres is slightly in excess of 25 per cent of the outstanding stock and is represented by 37,500 shares of Class "B." Butterfield Michigan Theatres stock is onethird of all outstanding stock and in represented by 6,940 shares of Class "B." Open 66th SMPE Convention Today Hollywood, Oct. 9.— An estimated 300 motion picture engineers from this country and Europe are scheduled to attend the 66th semi-annual convention of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers, opening here tomorrow at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, to review the latest technical developments in the industry during the five-day meeting. Technical sessions will be marked by the presentation of a record num(Continued on page 2) Scranton Telecasts An 'Exclusive' — And the Only SRO' Comerford's West Side Theatre, Scranton, Pa., the only house carrying the World Series telecast on an "exclusive" basis, provided the confirming experience for the trade's conclusion from the big screen video experiments that "It's hard to sell what everybody else is giving way." The 1,700-seat West Side Theatre was the only one of those offering Series telecasts to paying audiences which played to capacity and turned them away. The explanation: It was the only place in the city of Scranton where a telecast of the Series could be seen. The theatre started the Series tele (Continued on page 3) Para. Reaching for 'Untapped'Audience Paramount has its sights set on a substantial portion of the heretofore "untapped" American market for "Samson and Delilah," with an all-out sales push now being mapped and (Continued on page 2) Legion of Decency Gives 'B' Rating to 'Outlaw ' The Legion of Decency announces that its long-standing condemnation of Howard Hughes' production, "The Outlaw," has been lifted. The Legion statement follows : "The Legion of Decency announces that the Howard Hughes production, 'The Outlaw,' has been judged to be revised sufficiently to merit a change in classification. It has accordingly been reclassified from "C" (Condemned) to "B" (Morally Objectionable in Part for All). The following constitutes the reason for the present objection : "Although revisions have been made in this film, it still presents immodest costuming and suggestive situations. The producer has pledged that all prints of the subject hereafter presented for public exhibition in the United States, shall contain the changes provided for in the revised version. "This reclassification is in accordance with the policy in effect since the formation of the Legion of Decency under which the rating of an objectionable film may be changed when morally offensive elements in it are eliminated or substantially lessened." Hughes' Statement Hollywood, Oct. 9. — Howard Hughes today issued the following statement concerning his motion picture, "The Outlaw" : "As many people are aware, I have produced a motion picture entitled 'The Outlaw,' which has been banned and condemned on moral grounds by the National Legion of Decency. "Now, after prolonged discussions, lasting more than a year, I have, reached an agreement with the Legion of Decency to make certain changes in the picture. "The Legion has removed 'The Outlaw' from the 'C or 'Condemned' classification. "The Legion has placed 'The Outlaw' in the 'B' classification, which is described as 'Morally Objectionable in Part for All.' " "The Outlaw" is scheduled for release this season by RKO.. . . Zanuck Signs New, 20-Year Fox Contract 10 Years as Production Head, 10 as Advisor Twentieth Century-Fox has negotiated a new contract with Darryl F. Zanuck, which retains him as vice-president in charge of production for the next 10 years, with an additional 10 years of e x c 1 u sive service in an advisory capacity, it is anil ouncedby company president Spyros P. .Skouras. Zanuck's previous contract had "a couple of years" to run. During t h e first 10 years Darryl r Zanuck of his new contract, Zanuck will continue as full time head of studio (Continued on page 2) 20th Sets 12 For 6 Months Chicago, Oct. 9. — Announcement of the release of 12 of the company's top pictures during the six months beginning in November was made here on Friday by Artdy W. Smith, Jr., distribution vice-president of 20th Century-Fox at the concluding session of a two-day sales meeting. Pictures to be released during those months are : "Everybody Does It," "Oh, You Beautiful Doll," "Fighting Man of the Plains," "Prince of Foxes," "Three Came Home," "Danc (Continned on page 3) Await Selznick for SRO Product Lineup With two pictures definitely set for release before the end of the year, additional Selznick Releasing Organization product is expected to be announced upon the arrival of David O. Selznick from Europe this week, Sidney G. Deneau, SRO sales vice-president, announced at a meeting of division sales managers and home office executives at the Hotel Warwick on (Continued on page 3)