Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1950)

L.E COPT FIRST KJfdTION PICTURE qp MOTION PICTURE ASSOC. 0? AM5RFCA, IMC. CCHAMBSHS) 2S WEST 44TH ST, ' NEf YORK 18, N. Y. A. ILY <jT# NO. 103 '1 NEW YORK, U. S. A., MONDAY, MAY 29, 1950 TEN CENTS wo Parties repare Bids UA Stock rikin Gathers Group Buy 12,000 Shares ollywood, May 28. — The ofbv the United Artists board lefl 12,000 shares of treasurystock in the company aped to be still open at the weekend at least two bidders preparing teals for its acquisition. Harry Popkin, who would sad a purchasing group comsed principally of producers, s continuing to hold meetm with parties believed disced to join him in underung. Je UA committee authorized by (board to negotiate a sale and [rised of Gradwell Sears, presiArthur W. Kelly, executive viceHent, and Vitalis L. Chalif, a dir, continued to withhold the iden (Continued on page 6) pect French to ►operate with PCA ere are prospects that French ces for the American market will oduced in the future with greater izance of the U. S. industry's vol•y Production Code. This was ght out at a press interview here p weekend with the trio of French industry representatives at the {Continued on page 3) dgley to Discuss lde at Film Board artin Quigley will engage in an mal discussion of the "character, joses and effects" of the industry's luction Code at a meeting of the York Film Board of Trade here une 7, it was announced at the [end by Louis Nizer, counsel for ;3oard. leakers at previous Film Board ings included Paul Raibourn, vice #dent of Paramount; S. H. Fabian, of Fabian Theatres, and Louis Hips, Paramount attorney. Duff Made U-I Executive V-P Alfred E. Daff has been appointed executive vice-president of UniversalInternational Films, Universale foreign sales subsidiary, assuming the duties of Joseph H. Seidelman, who resigned last week, it was announced on Friday by N. J. Blumberg, president of Universal Pictures. Daff has been a vicepresident and sales supervisor since 1944. Daff, who has been with Universal since 1920, started as a booker and suburban salesman and received several promotions, including managing director of Universal's Jap (Continued on page 6) Alfred E. Daff Fehr and Weisbart in New WB Studio Posts Hollywood, May 28. — Warner Brothers has established a new studio executive designation — assistant to the producer, and has appointed Rudi Fehr and David Weisbart to fill the newly created posts, with other ap (Continued on page 6) PROVISIONAL U.K. PACT TERMS SET U.K. Pact Terms Await Scrutiny Here Home office executives at the weekend would make no forecasts on the chances of the British remittance pact proposals being accepted when they are reviewed here late this week or early next. It will take detailed study, most said, before the acceptability of the terms can be determined. Others suggested that counter-proposals and further negotiations in London likely will be necessary. There was general satisfaction, however, that the British had abandoned their first, drastic position and opened the way to genuine negotiation. Australia Imports Reach Record 399 By FRANK O'CONNELL Sydney, May 23 (By Air Mail).— Representing an increase of 59 productions over the previous year, film imports into Australia in 1949 reached an all-time high of 399 in addition to (Continued on page 3) 'Majors Working My Side Of the Street \ Lippert Says Republic Moves on Its 15th Anniversary Following a weekend moveover, the home office of Republic Pictures is now housed at 1740 Broadway, New York, in the new Mutual Life Insurance Building, where the company is occupying the 18th and 19th floors, and where it will celebrate its 15th anniversary. The extent to which some major companies are increasing production is "criminal," producer-distributor-exhibitor Robert L. Lippert declared in a weekend interview with the trade press. In the course of the interview, Lippert mentioned Paramount, Warner, RKO Radio and M-G-M but failed to particularize which company he charged with what. Of the four, only M-G-M has announced any material increase in production schedules and most of that has been for the future. "They are invading my field with (Continued on page 6) US Delegation Bringing Proposals Here; London Meet Resumes June 26 By PETER BURNUP London, May 28. — Britain's proposals for a two-year extension of the Anglo-U. S. film remittance agreement, which include continuance of the $17,250,000 annual remittance, incentives for joint production here and revisions of the permitted uses for blocked sterling, are being returned to New York for consideration by the American companies. Both sides agreed to resume the discussions here on June 26, with the present agreement, which otherwise would expire June 13, continuing in effect until the negotiations are concluded one way or another. Under Britain's proposals, continuance of the $17,250,000 annual remittance is to be made contingent upon the maintenance of a scale of production by American companies here (Continued on page 3) Merged Company Is Closing FC Branches The bulk of the Film Classics exchanges around the country will be closed and future operations will be concentrated for the most part in Eagle-Lion branches by the new company, Eagle Lion Classics, which resulted from the merger of E-L and FC a week ago. This was apparent on Friday as William J. Heineman, executive vicepresident of the new company, and B. J. Kranze, sales manager, completed a survey of exchange facilities (Continued on page 6) No Paper Tomorrow Motion Picture Daily will not be published tomorrow, Memorial Day, a legal holiday. iA 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 Paramount's SUNSET BOULEVARD is a most unusual motion picture PICTURE, IT'S THE BEST SHOW A Hollywood Story ?E, IT'S THE BEST SHO\ lOUNT PICTURE, IT'S THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN !