Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1950)

It FILE COPY DO NOT REMOVE MOTION PICTURE Vfc ATT Accurate Cohcise FILM and JLf/VJL JL 1 Impartial VOL. 67. NO. 36 NEW YORK, U.S.A., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1950 TEN CENTS 1,474 in U. K. Default On First -Feature 2nd Feature Defaulters Total 1,381 in a Year London, Feb. 22. — The Board of Trade's film quota for the year ended Sept. 30, 1949, disclosed 1,474 first-feature defaulters and 1,381 supporting program defaulters among Britain's 4,772 theatres. The Board states the average proportion of British films exhibited was 37 per cent of first features and 27 per cent of supporting programs. The former was described as corresponding to the average prescribed first-feature quota after allowing for authorized reduced quotas to some theatres ranging from 40 per cent to 10 per cent. The supporting program result was cited as exceeding the statutory 25 {Continued on page 4) Sees Need of US-UK Talks Washington, Feb. 22. — The U. S. Commerce Department today emphasized the need for the Anglo-American film negotiations to take place as soon as possible after tomorrow's elections in Great Britain. "In the event of a new government coming in or even if there is no change, the time element is important, (Continued on page 4) Justice Silent on Technicolor Terms Washington, Feb. 22. — Department of Justice spokesmen decline to reveal terms of the consent decree agreed upon between Technicolor attorneys and the government until the company's board, scheduled to meet tomorrow in New York, has approved the pact. A Justice Department official did say, however, that he "imagines" that restrictions on patents and methods would be "broader than in the Eastman Kodak decree." Los Angeles, Feb. 22.— Another postponement in the Technicolor trial, until Friday morning, was granted yesterday by Federal Judge Mathes. Stockholders Reelect 6 Warner Directors Wilmington, Feb. 22.— Six Warner Bros, directors were reelected here yesterday by stockholders at their annual meeting. They were: Harry M. Warner, president; Albert Warner, vice-president and treasurer; Jack L. Warner, vice-president; Robert W. Perkins, vice-president, secretary and general counsel; Waddill Catchings and John E. Bierwirth. Sees No Film Ban on Phonevision Tests Chicago, Feb. 22. — E. F. MacDonald, Zenith president, denies that major or independent producers would not make their product available for phonevision tests. Protesting a story of Feb. 16 appearing elsewhere, he declared "not one film company has said 'no' to me, and some have already agreed." He declined to divulge which producers or to give titles, however. He referred that question to Gael Sullivan, of the Theatre Owners of America, when he had read that Sullivan was asked to furnish theatre owners with such information. The Zenith president stated that he was not negotiating for first-run product, or reissues, but for important films that had played first-run and some subsequent-run engagements. MacDonald affirmed, "I don't want to harm theatre business or go into competition with it." He said that start of the tests hinged on further clarification of (Continued on page 6) TAX CRIPPLING INDUSTRY: COMPO 6306' Negotiations Underway Again Prospects are better for a peaceful settlement of the long-standing wagesand-classification dispute between IATSE Projectionists Local No. 306 and major theatre circuits here. Union-management negotiations broke down earlier this month, at which time a walkout of projectionists in Loew's, RKO and Warner theatres was regarded as imminent. Negotiations have resumed between representatives of the local, Loew's and RKO, it is reported by Herman Gelber, president of "306." Warner representatives are expected to join in the renewed talks at an earlv date. Arnall Won't Talk About Truman Talk Washington, Feb. 22. — Ellis Arnall, president of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers, discussed the "international motion picture situation'' with President Truman yesterday in a 45-minute White House interview which Arnall said was set up at the President's invitation. Arnall refused to be pinned down exactly on what the President's interest in the matter was, or what he had told the President. "The President asked me to come (Continued on page 4) M. P. Daily Poll Reveals 12 of 25 Ways And Means Group Members for Tax Cut Washington, Feb. 22. — An informal Motion Picture Daily poll of members of the House Ways and Means committee showed at least 12 of the 25 members promising to vote for reduction or repeal of the admissions tax, with another 12 either unavailable or undecided and only one definitely against cutting the tax. Here's the way the committee lined up in the informal poll: For reduction or repeal: Dingell (D., Mich.), Eberharter (D., Pa.), Lynch (D., N. Y.), Young (D., O.), King (D., Calif.), O'Brien (D., 111.), Curtis (R., Neb.), Reed (R., N. Y.), Woodruff (R., Mich.), Simpson (R., Pa.), Martin (R.. la.), and Jenkins (R., O.). Against reduction: Kean (R., N. J.). Inclined to vote for reduction but waiting to see the whole bill: Camp (D., Ga.), Byrnes (R., Wise), Forand (D., R. I.) Undecided or no comment: Gregory (D. Ky.), Boggs (D., La.), Carroll (D., Colo.), Mills (D., Ark), Cooper (D., Ky.), Combs (D., Tex.), Holmes (R., Wash.), and Chairman Doughton (D., N. C). Unavailable: Mason (R., 111.) Myers and Sullivan Tell House Committee 'Hardship' Status Near By J. A. OTTEN Washington, Feb. 22. — Two industry representatives yesterday told a sympathetic House Ways and Means Committee that boxoffice grosses in the past four months have been the worst since the end of the war. Speaking as representatives of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations, Abram F. Myers, chairman and general counsel of Allied States Association, and Theatre Owners of America executive director Gael Sullivan, affirmed the statement of one committee member that motion pictures may soon enter the category of a "hardship industry" unless the tax is removed. "At least (Continued on page 6) Equipment Exports Drop Washington, Feb. 22. — Only some types of 16mm. film and equipment escaped from a general decline in U. S. exports of all film and equipment during 1949, the U. S. Commerce Department reported today. Equipment exports dropped from $10,972,516 in 1948 to $7,621,485 last year. The 1947 total was $16,245,487. All types of 35mm. film shipments (Continued on page 6) Holy Year Film by Muto for 20th-Fox Washington, Feb. 22. — A short subject on the Holy Year will be distributed by 20th Century-Fox Movietone News early in the summer. The picture was made by Movietone's Washington chief, Tony Muto, who has just returned from three months in Italy. The film will show a typical Holy Year Pilgrimage to Rome. It was shot in and around Saint Peter's and includes shots of Pope Pius XII, with whose permission the subject was filmed. Muto used Movietone crews in Italy for the production, the eventual length of which has not been determined.