Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1950)

FIRST IN FILM MEWS FILE. WKT MOTION* PICTURB ASSOC* OF 23EWE3T 44TH ST., 21ST FL. NEW YORK., N. Y. (6 COPIES) 67. NO. 80 NEW YORK, U. S. A., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1950 TEN CENTS nith Favors rbitration ithin Compo oports Rodger s' Plan; A. Cole Questions It .ventieth Century-Fox sales -president A. W. Smith, Jr., I has played a major role in reattempts at conciliation and Tation of exhibitor-distributor rences, yesterday declared him'100 per cent in favor" of Loew's ibution vice-president William F. £ers' recommendation that the icil of Motion Picture Organizaundertake to develop a new sysof industry arbitration. Smith is chairman of the disbutors committee of the Mori Picture Association of nerica, whose membership nsists of the sales heads of I various MPAA member mpanies. Hence, the 20th(Continued on page 10) ibian Sets May 3 r Hearing On earance Dispute H. Fabian, head of Fabian Thes, who will serve as arbitrator of first exhibitor-distributors cleardispute to be aired before a film _e in recent industry history, will a hearing of the case in quesat the American Arbitration Asltion office here on May 3. jmplainant in the case, which is ■cted to set the future pattern for (Continued on page 10) W. B. Decree Moves To Treasury Dep't. Warners has reached an agreement with the Department of Justice on the theatres which it may retain and those which must be disposed of under its consent decree settlement of the government anti-trust suit. The agreement reportedly concludes all phases of the negotiations with the Department of Justice, although details have not been disclosed. The company now is said to be awaiting Treasury rulings on its new stock and debenture plan, and tax questions connected therewith. Ascap 's 1949 Take $10,601,184; TV Collections Help Total collections by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers from all sources reached $10,601,184 in 1949, Ascap president Fred E. Ahlert told the annual membership meeting at the Hotel Plaza here yesterday. Despite the fact that Ascap did not collect any fees from motion picture exhibitors last year, the take represents a drop of only $378,000 under the 1948 collections. In previous years, theatres had contributed close to $1,200,000 to Ascap' s income. Making up for this loss, in (Continued on page 8) b Reveal Financing ansat SIMPP Meet ollywood, April 25. — Society of bpendent Motion Picture Producers iident Ellis Arnall will reveal de5. of his plan for obtaining financial king from Eastern sources for a e number of independent produc is to the full SIMPP membership I (Continued on page 8) Vote on Tax Today; Some Relief Sure Washington, April 25. — Members of the House Ways and Means Committee, after more than an hour of executive session discussion of a half-dozen different proposals for easing the Federal admission tax, agreed today that the motion picture industry seems certain of substantial relief in the Committee's tax bill. A final vote on the admission tax was put off until tomorrow. The House itself met early today and members said that so many different proposals were discussed in committee that there was not a chance to vote. A reduction of the tax from 20 per (Continued on page 10) O'Donnell Out Of VCI Race By RED KANN New Orleans, April 25. — Robert J. O'Donnell finally withdrew on the convention's eve from the race for re-election as International Chief Barker of Variety Clubs International in order to make himself available for the presidency of Theatre Owners of (Continued on page 10) British Pact Talks to Be Held May 15 Small Delegation Picked For Preliminary Meet Washington, April 25. — Preliminary talks on renegotiating the Anglo-American film agreement will get under way on May 15 in London, the Motion Picture Association of America announced here today. A statement issued simultaneously here and in London said MPAA president Eric Johnston and Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers president Ellis Arnall would represent the U. S. industry in the talks with British Board of Trade and Treasury officials. Although no other American dele(Continued on page 10) TV A to Open Pact Talks May 4, Despite SAG Threat Screen Actors Guild's "legal notice" to all producers at the weekend that "neither Television Authority nor any union other than the Guild is authorized to bargain for motion picture actors," was met here by an announcement by the Television Authority that the latter will open negotiations on May 4 with all television network companies and advertising agencies. _ SAGs weekend pronouncement is equivalent to "interfering with our getting a decent contract which would (Continued on page 8) Warner Premiere to Aid Palsy Drive Hartford, April 25. — Plans for a world premiere of Warner's "Colt .45" at the Strand Theatre here on May 3, have been set by Mort Blumenstock, Warner advertising vice-president, in cooperation with Connecticut's Gov. Chester A. Bowles, with the event to be sponsored by the Cerebral Palsy Association of Connecticut, (Continued on page 8) Johnson WouldLike The Industry to Do Its Own 'Policing' Washington, April 25. — Senator Ed Johnson declared here today that it will be the "primary objective" of his Senate committee hearings on Hollywood moral problems to give the industry an opportunity to work out its own solution on a voluntary basis. The Colorado Democrat made the statement in a letter to Sen. Wiley (Continued on page 8) 57 Pictures Rated 'Better Than Ever' Movies are better than ever. This verdict is backed up by a "jury" of motion picture critics, publications and reviewing groups in selecting the outstanding films of 1949, according to the MPAA. "Best film" ratings were awarded (Continued on page 10) PARAMOUNT PICTURE, IT'S THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN! • IF IT'S A PARAMOUNT PICTURE IT'S THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN ! • If IT'S A PARAMOUNT PICTURE. IT'S THE BEST SHOW Z o PARAMOUNT PRESENTS NO MAN OF HER OWN "will be a top money-maker!" starring BARBARA STANWYCK • JOHN LUND says Showmen's Trade Review ItlWN! • It 'S THE BEST TOWN !