Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1950)

FILE COPY FIRST PICTURE DAILY ^0 NO. 105 NEW YORK, U.S.A., THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1950 TEN CENTS ear Penalty n U.K. Plan )n Production FCC Hits Phonevision For 'Deluding' Public jhnston Gives Report at 'PEA Meet Here Today iSome company executives fear a bker" in Britain's proposal to ntinue the $17,000,000 annual rettances providing American crannies maintain at least the same voire of production in Britain during ; next two years that obtained dury the past two years. According to their current interpretation of the proposal, Britain is referring to dollar investments in British production. If that is so, it will require 30 per cent more British ■pounds during the next two years to equal the past two iyears' investment in British production, due to devaluation of the pound. !The point is expected to be clarified Eric Johnston, Motion Picture ssociation of America president, at meeting of, the executive committee (Continued on page 5) ohnston and Walsh Discuss Pact's Effect Plan Procedure for Arbitration Meets; A I lied Seen Join ing Conferences in the near future among sales executives are expected to result in an early resolving of the question whether it will be distribution or exhibition that will issue the formal call for an "all-industry" meeting to determine whether a system of industry-wide arbitration can be developed. This was the situation yesterday as reports from a number of quarters indicated that Allied would join with (Continued on page 4) NY Meet on COMPO Program June 7-8 The program and planning committee of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations will meet here June 7-8 to consider the nature and scope of the organization's activities. The meeting, which will be held in (Continued on page 4) By T. J. M. SHEEHY Dublin, May 31. — Effects on Holiwood employment of the British oposals for a two-year extension of e Anglo-U.S. film remittance agree ent were discussed here yesterday by ric Johnston, Motion Picture Assoation of America president ; his (Continued on page 5) ilm Dividends Are )ff $2,000,000 Washington, May 31. — Publiclyported cash dividends by motion cture companies during the first <ur months of 1950 amounted to 11,053,000, more than $2,000,000 bew the $13,078,000 reported in the (Continued on page 4) Sam Bischoff to Join RKO As a Producer Eagle-Lion Classics Set to Market an 'A' Film Monthly Charges Zenith Broke Agreement By Which FCC Granted Permission for Chicago Test; Says No Guaranty of Future for Phonevision Washington, May 31. — The Federal Communications Commission today angrily took Zenith Radio Corp. to task for possibly misleading the public into believing its Phonevision system was definitely here to stay. The Commission also charged the company with taking actions that might limit the FCC's future freedom to decide whether Phonevision should be authorized on a permanent basis. In a letter to Zenith, answering the company's request to postpone the start of the 90-day Chicago Phonevision test from Feb. 8 to Oct. 1, the Commission recalled that one of the express conditions imposed by the FCC's original temporary authorization for the test was that Zenith "shall avoid any action that might create the impression in the mind of any person or persons that Phonevision has been or will be authorized on a regular basis or that the said authorization constitutes approval by the Commission of the principle of Phonevision or subscription television." FCC then cited two specific actions of Zenith which, it said, raise a "serious question as to whether your actions have been consistent with the conditions imposed on your special temporary authorization." It ordered Zenith to file a verified statement reporting on these actions and said that the Commission would withhold action Hollywood, May 31. — Independent producer Sam Bischoff is joining RKO Radio as a producer, it was disclosed here by production head Howard Hughes. Hughes will place Bischoff in a supervisory capacity over a certain portion of the RKO production program. However, it is understood that the entry of Bischoff into RKO will not in any way affect the independent status of Edmund Grainger or Howard Hawks. The sales department of Eagle-Lion Classics, new company which will come into being June 12 from the merger of Eagle-Lion and Film Classics, will be "geared to handle one big 'A' picture a month, together with a 'minimum' of program features," according to distribution vice-president William J. Heineman. Heineman participated in a trade press conference yesterday together with ELC president William C. MacMillen, Jr., board chairman Joseph Bernhard and general sales manager Bernard Kranze. Bernhard, who indicated that his principal duty under the new set-up will be to seek out new product, said that while ELC will remain strictly a distributor of independently-produced films, the new company "may have to help producers secure financing." MacMillen reported that before June 12 a corporate meeting will be held to select a board of directors for ELC. He explained that since E-L and FC will remain corporate entities as longas they individually hold title to certain properties and have obligations outstanding, the boards of the two companies will remain as presently (Continued on page 4) on the request for the post (Continued on page 4) Sees Bright Outlook For Independents Independents are going through a most difficult period now but have the greatest opportunity because of divorcement and the need for product, producer Bert Friedlob asserted here yesterday. Friedlob, who along with (Continued on page 4) MOUNT 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 Para mount's SUNSIrT BOULEVARD A Hollywood Story FROM BRACKET! AND WILDER, PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR OF "THE LOST WEEKEND" o /N !