Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1950)

DO NOT REMOVE MOTION PICTURE DAILY i ,■„,.,., in Concise and Impartial VOL. 67. NO. 34 NEW YORK, U.S.A., MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1950 TEN CENTS Republic Nets $486,578 Profit for '50 Lost $349,989 in '48; Yates Sees Further Gains Republic's net income for the year ended Oct. 29, 1949, amounted to $486,578, compared with a net loss of $349,989 in 1948, Herbert J. Yates, president, reported to stockholders at the weekend. World-wide operations for 1949 resulted in income of $1,413,762 from which there was deducted net foreign income of $602,184 which is subject to withdrawal restrictions, and a $325,000 provision for estimated Federal taxes on income other than on the net foreign profits. The 1948 loss figure was reached after deducting a claim of $214,509 for refund (under the loss carry-back provisions of the Internal Revenue Code) on Federal taxes paid in prior years. Gross revenue for 1949 amounted to (Continued on page 6) Coplan, UK Renter, Sees Lower Quota Belief that a lower, "more realistic" film quota will be established this year by the British government was expressed here at the weekend by David Coplan, managing director of International Film Distributors, Ltd., who has come to New York from London to confer with Joseph Bernhard, president of Film Classics, whose product IFD distributes in England. The British industry "has learned (Continued on page 7) U.K. Films Council Urges a 30% Quota London, Feb. 19.— The British Films Council, unofficial government advisory body, has recommended a reduction in the British film quota from 40 to 30 per cent, beginning next October. The Council's recommendation does not make the reduction a foregone conclusion, since Parliamentary legislation is necessary for any change in the quota. N. Y. Ts Organized Protestants Want Ban on 'StromboW Albany, N. Y, Feb. 19.— The State Council of Churches, speaking for organized New York Protestantism (3,500,000 membership) issued a statement here at the weekend, expressing "resentment of this attempt to capitalize on a public scandal" in the releasing of "Stromboli," and suggested to its local councils that they get in touch with theatre managers to protest and ask for the cancellation if the film has been booked. The Syracuse Federation of Churches and the Syracuse Common Council took such action. Dr. Wilber T. Clemens, general secretary of the State Council, said the statement was sent to 30 Federations and 4,700 pastors. The statement declared : "Far more disastrous to the morals of our nation is the stamp of approval which a great industry gives to individual stars who (Continued on page 7) LOCAL TAX PLANS HIT AT HEARING WB to Produce 44 Shorts, 30 Cartoons Hollywood, Feb. 19. — Warner's short subject program for 1950-51 consists of 44 shorts and 30 cartoons, an increase of two one and two-reelers over 1949-50, the studio announces. The program was agreed upon in conferences between Jack L. Warner, executive producer ; Norman Moray, (Continued on page 6) 'Battleground' Runs Gross $3,750,000 Metro Goldwyn Mayer's "Battleground" has so far played 193 engagements for a gross approximating $3,750,000, the company disclosed here at the weekend. Of these engagements, 120 have been held over for two days or more, the distributor stated, explaining that among the pictures which it is topping "by a considerable margin" are "Easter Parade," "Three Musketeers" and "Green Dolphin Street." The Eastern territory with 48 engagements is far ahead in the grossing results, having tallied $1,232,000 at the box-office. Next is the Central (Continued on page 7) 12 in Three Months Set by Eagle-Lion Twelve films, including one Technicolor special and three from J. Arthur Rank, have been set for February, March and April release by William J. Ffeineman, Eagle-Lion sales vice-president. The schedule follows : February, "The Sundowners," (Continued on page 6) 100 Early Acceptances for 20th ?8 Showmanship Meet Taylor, Devaney and Cohen Ar ePr omoted Hatton Taylor, Murray Devaney, Harry Cohen and Arthur Lee-White, all of RKO Radio's saies field force, have been promoted by Robert Machine, distribution vice-president. Taylor, who has been branch chief at Detroit, is promoted to the manager's post at Boston, a position made vacant through the recent death of Ross Cropper ; Devaney, branch manager at Montreal, is promoted to the managership at Detroit; Cohen, manager at St. John, moves up to the branch managership at Montreal, and Lee-White, who has been a salesman in Toronto, is advanced to manager at St. John. More than 100 of the 200-odd who were invited, sent in immediate acceptances of Spyros P. Skouras' invitations to attend the 20th CenturyFox "Showmanship Meeting" of exhibitors at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, on March 8-9, the company has disclosed. Included are 20 exhibitor association officials connected with either Allied States or the Theatre Owners of America. It was disclosed also that among the speakers will be Bosley Crowther, film critic of the New York Times, who also addressed 20th-Fox's advertising meeting in New York last month. Acceptances for the Chicago meeting have been received from Ed Martin, Arthur Lockwood, Ted Fleischer, William Dipson, George D. Carpenter, J. B. Harvey, Harry Bal (Continued on page 7) Ways and Means Group Assails Tax 'Transfer' ; Hear Compo Tomorrow Washington, Feb. 19. — If the House Ways and Means Committee does vote in favor of reduction or elimination of the admissions tax, it won't be with the idea that the states and cities should step in and levy their own tax. In fact, committee members will frown on such action. This was made clear Friday when officials of state and local governments appeared before the committee and asked that the admissions tax be repealed so that the state, cities, towns and counties could use it themselves to raise funds. Committee members immediately jumped on this idea. Technically, of course, if Congress should repeal or (Continued on page 6) Says Repeal Drive a Showmanship Test Washington, Feb. 19'. — The campaign against the Federal admission tax is a test of showmanship of the individual exhibitor, according to Abram F. Myers, chairman of the Council of Motion Picture Organization's tax committee. Myers said that the over-all response to the campaign has been much (Continued on page 6) A Sharp Rebuff for Local Tax Advocate Washington, Feb. 19. — When C. Emory Glander of the National Association of Tax Administrators said at Friday's Ways and Means Committee tax hearing that probably the states and localities would not tax as high as 20 per cent if the Federal admission levy were repealed, Rep. Dingell (D., Mich.) replied: "Don't kid me. I want the film industry, the exhibitors and theatregoer to have the full benefit. I would like to see every vestige of the tax eliminated."