Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1950)

FIRST IN FILM NEWS ICTUSB ASSOC. OF NO. 77 NEW YORK, U. S. A., FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1950 TEN CENTS [ove to Avert uits With [ore Bidding A Plans Increase in mipetitive Situations Jnited Artists yesterday anjnced a sales policy adjustment stepping up its competitive bid|g situations throughout the |ntry, further establishing that dis•utors look with favor on that type licensing as one means of averting al action in some situations. "Extended discussions of the tew problems raised by the ;rowing amount of threatened itigation, together with suc essful results obtained from lests of competitive bidding," {Continued on page 3) MP A A Executive Committee Studies Ad Code Changes The executive committee of the Motion Picture Association of America yesterday discussed proposed amendments to the MPAA Advertising Code designed to prevent exploitation of misconduct by Hollywood personalities. Similar discussions have been held and will continue to be held here and in Hollywood, it was indicated following the committee meeting. The committee reviewed the recommendations submitted earlier this (Continued on page 3) Exhibitors Unafraid Of Video: Wilcoxon Sullivan, Harvey to Head Palsy Drive Gael Sullivan, executive director of the Theatre Owners of America, has been named national exhibitor chairman of the industry's May campaign for the United Cerebral Palsy Association by Leonard H. Goldenson, president of UCPA. At the same time, Goldenson announced that Rotus Harvey, president of the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners, will serve as Sullivan's cochairman. PIC Enthusiastic ver Compo Group -Iollywood, April 20. — Declaring crystallization of the Council of Dtion Picture Organizations to be "most significant development in industry in many years," the mem■ship of the Motion Picture Indus\ Council at a meeting here last ^ht devoted its principal attention to (Continued on page 3) U.K. Tax Cut Hope Is Dim, Says Dent Slight hope for the curtailment of the 40 per cent entertainment tax in Britain was seen here yesterday by David Dent, bus'ness director of Adelphi Films, London, in the light of Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Stafford Cripps' omission of a recom' mendation for a cut in the new budget presented to Par1 ament Tuesday. Dent pointed out that a "tremendous campaign" was waged by the industry for the tax reduction, but it "was ignored." Smart showmen feel that television eventually will have "a definite business regenerative effect throughout all of show business," Henry Wilcoxon declared here yesterday. Wilcoxon reported exhibitor reactions on the completion of a 42-state tour begun in August in behalf of Paramount's "Samson and Delilah." Exhibitors feel that the "industry is (Continued on page 2) Smith Lists Nine For Summer Release Said to be "designed to implement the industry's efforts for maximum showmanship," Andy W. Smith, 20th Century-Fox vice-president and general sales manager, yesterday announced nine feature releases for May through August. The line-up follows : May — "The Big Lift," with Montgomery Gift and Paul Douglas ; "A Ticket to Toma (Continued on page 3) Censorship Costs Industry $3,000,000 Yearly: Breen Wiley Urges Senate to Drop Hearings Says Film Leaders Can Handle Own Problems Washington, April 20. — Sen. Alexander Wiley (R., Wis.) today called on the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee to cancel its proposed hearings on Hollywood morals and give the motion picture industry "the opportunity to work out on a voluntary basis its own solutions to this problem." Wiley, who, shortly after Sen. Ed Johnson introduced his licensing bill last month took the Senate floor to blast the bill, resumed the attack today. (Continued on page 3) 'Winchester' Heads U-Fs 'Big Push' Universal-International's "Winchester 73" will head the list of releasesin the company's "Big Push" sales drive during the next four months, it was decided at a series of conferences between N. J. Blumberg, company president, and Leo Spitz and William Goetz, studio executives. Blumberg (Continued on page 3) Variety's Peace Role Is Vital: O'Donnell Dallas, April 20.— As he prepared to leave here for New Orleans in advance of the 14th annual convention of Variety Clubs International, which will open next Wednesday and run through Saturday, international chief barker R. J. O'Donnell declared that, "Right at the moment when there is so much confusion and mistrust in the world, I believe that organizations like Variety International, which have a common purpose and step over national lines, can do a part, small perhaps, but still a needed part, toward promoting better understanding among men." He added: "It's not hard to realize (Continued on page 2) Asserting that there has been very little film censorship legislation passed by state, municipal or other governments in the U. S. since the industry adopted its voluntary Production Code 20 years ago, Code administrator Joseph I. Breen yesterday indicated to what extent the Code is a cost-saving factor by revealing that the scores of censorship boards that have been operating take from the industry some $3,000,000 in fees annually. Breen addressed a luncheon-meeting of the American Television Society at the Hotel Roosevelt here yesterday. Introduced to 125 ATS members and guests by Theodore C. Streibert, president of radio station WOR, who pointed out that the National Association of Broadcasters is considering adoption of a television production (Continued on page 3) Overseas Film Role Seen by President Washington, April 20. — President Truman today declared he had directed the Secretary of State to plan a greatly stepped-up overseas information program to acquaint people abroad with the truth about freedom and democracy. A "major part of our effort must be carried out through our public information channels — newspapers and magazines, radio and motion pictures," the President said to the Society of Newspaper Editors. IT'S A ?t IN TOWN ! |F ,T,S A PARAMOUNT PICTURE, IT'S THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN ! • IF IT'S A PARAMOUNT PICTURE, IT'S THE BEST SHOW 3 BING HIMSELF SAYS: "MY BEST PICTURE IN YEARS IS CAPRA'S 'RIDING HIGH'!" RE. IT'S THE BEST SH< IF IT'S fHE BES ra