Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1950)

4 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, June 6, City of Detroit May Prohibit Drive-ins Detroit, June 5.— The drafting of an ordinan.ce which would outlaw construction of drive-in theatres within the city limits was asked of Corporation Counsel Frank G. Schemanske by the City Council. Councilman Edward D. Connor told the Council that a nationwide survey had revealed that drive-in theatres adjacent to built-up areas had resulted in floods of complaints. Supreme Court Affirms Decree {Continued from page 1) Raw Stock (Continued from page 1) greater pessimism on the outlook for a tax bill this year. The committee in its second round of voting on excises is increasing its tax cuts rather than reducing them, making it more and more difficult for it to report out a balanced bill. Also, chairman Doughton and several other members are losing enthusiasm for the bill because of the inclusion of certain provisions they oppose ; and House Speaker Rayburn, who returned to town over the weekend, is making strict demands that the bill make up as much in new taxes as it loses in excise and other cuts. McDonald Tells FCC (Continued from page 1) sets and in placing newspaper advertising which intimated that Zenith was here to stay. In a verified statement received at the Commission today McDonald declared his offer to the radio manufacturers was purely to protect the public's purse in the event that Phonevision should eventually become a permanent fixture. McDonald said : "It would cost the public millions of additional dollars to have their sets accommodated to Phonevision in the event it should come into general use," rather than having the outlets installed in sets at the time of their manufacture. In reply to the Commission's second charge McDonald stated that none of the newspaper advertising had been authorized by Zenith. He mentioned several advertisements which had been placed by independent Zenith dealers and said that Zenith had told these dealers, after the advertising was called to McDonald's attention, that it would bear none of the cost of such "false and misleading" advertising. In one case, McDonald said, the dealer was told he would lose his franchise if he repeated the offense. "Zenith Radio Corporation has never published nor approved any advertisement containing this language and has exerted great effort to prevent any such statements being used in advertising," he stated. Weisfeldt on His Own Detroit, June 5. — Edward J. Weisfeldt has resigned as general manager of the Saul Korman circuit here. Weisfeldt was formerly connected with Associated Theatres. He plans to go into show business in Florida with his brother. 12-year old anti-trust suit, the three companies must submit within six months a plan for the separation of their production-distribution activities from their exhibition interests. This divorcement must be carried out within three years. Mereover, within one year, a plan must be submitted by each company and by the government for the divestiture of theatre interests "adequate to satisfy the requirements of the Supreme Court decision with respect to divestiture." Attorneys here were not clear exactly when these time limits would start running. Originally they were to date from Feb. 8, the date of. the New York court decree, but then they were stayed while the appeals were taken. Best guess was that the deadlines will now run from the date the Supreme Court's mandate reaches the District Court, which might be anywhere from a week to a month from today. Justice attorneys said, however, they might argue that the deadlines run from today. The high court's order also affirms the provision of the New York decree barring distributors resulting from divorcement from acquiring theatres without court approval and barring exhibitors resulting from divorcement from distributing films without court sanction. The three film companies had appealed from the divorcement and divestiture provisions, arguing that divorcement was not required by the high court's original May, 1948, de Shain Urges Films For Youth Audience Milwaukee, June 5. — Urging encouragement of young people in discovering the unique entertainment qualities of motion pictures, Sam Shain, director of exhibitor and public relations for the 20th Century-Fox distribution department, called upon the local Better Films Council today to aid the industry in fostering children's programs and appreciation. Addressing 250 women, Shain outlined the purposes of the "Movies Are Better Than Ever" campaign sponsored by his company, pointing out the community efforts being fostered by theatres in every part of the country. He cited the exhibitors' desire to work with organizations such as the Better Film Council, and the industry cooperation they can expect. Kansas City Unit Meets Kansas City, June 5. — The second meeting of the Motion Picture Association of Greater Kansas City was held today at the Hotel Phillips, where committees and officers reported. Plans for a golf tournament reported by Robert Withers, committee chairman, were approved. The tournament will be held June 26 at Milburn Country Club. Elmer C. Rhoden, president of the association, presided. WB Extension (Continued from page 1) ing divorcement consent decree, officials of the company state that they still are awaiting a decision by the Treasury Department on the tax aspects of the split. They say there has been no indication of when this is likely to be given. cision and that in any event, ordering a divorcement plan before a divestiture plan was putting the cart before the horse. The government crossappealed, saying the time limits in the New York decree were too long, and asking the high court to include in the decree various other restrictions on the three companies, the only ones of the original eight defendants still left in the case. Today's action has the effect of rejecting these Justice Department requests as. well a* those of the film companies. The court's action came as a surprise both to the Justice Department and defense attorneys, who had assumed the high court would hear the appeals. Justice officials admitted it was a pleasant surprise. "It will save us six months or better," one attorney said. It was not clear what effect the decision would have in influencing any company's policy on a cansent decree. Warner attorneys have agreed with Justice officials on divestiture terms of their proposed decree and are awaiting Treasury action on its tax phases. Warner now must decide whether it is better to "know what it's getting," as it would under a consent decree, or to take advantage of the longer time limit in the New York decree. Twentieth-Fox made some preliminary approaches to the government months ago, but nothing has happened recently. Loew's has consistently rejected the idea of a consent degree. Mexican Producers Set Ceiling of 70 Mexico City, June 5.— A 1950 production ceiling of 70 features is the aim of top producers who, reportedly, are backed in that plan by the powerful distributing organization, Peliculas Nacionales. The producers believe that more quality and less quantity is best for Mexican pictures in view of poor results both at home and abroad for most of the 110 pictures Mexico made last year. If the producers have their way, 1950 will be the lowest production year Mexico has had in a long time. Kentucky Tax (Continued from page 1) KATO president, has surveyed theatres in the state and reports that in a number of instances the burden of the state tax has resulted in operating at a loss. On this basis the suit will be filed in an effort to kill the tax as contrary to the state constitution. Other business to be taken up by the board will be the election of a committee to nominate candidates to the board for the ensuing two years. Stiffer Trust Law (Continued from page 1 ) law was passed in 1890. No change would be made in the one-year maximum jail sentence. House approval was on a voice vote, after a minimum amount of debate and opposition. Both Republicans and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee supported the change. 20th Slates (Continued from page 1) H rone Power, Orson Welles and Ci Aubry. "The Black Rose," originally sc; uled for August showings, has replaced by "Broken Arrow," a T| nicolor drama with James Stewart! Debra Paget. The schedule for the next months follows : July, "The Gunfighter"^, -v Gregory Peck, and "Wheremo n walk Ends," co-starring ]W"k ; drews and Gene Tierney ; AuJ "Stella," co-starring Ann Sherj and Victor Mature, "Broken Arr ! Technicolor production with J; Stewart and Debra Paget, and "( boo Trail," a Nat Holt Cinecolor I' duction released by 20th Century1 starring Randolph Scott and G;i Hayes. 20th-Fox Sets Playdates For 'Night and the City' First key-city playdates of "J^ and the City," starring Richard \ mark and Gene Tierney, have announced by Andy W. Smith, k vice-president of 20th Century-' with the London-filmed produ< having its world premiere at the I Theatre in New York on Friday After the opening, the picture play in the Palace, Rochester ; podrome, Cleveland; Center, Buff Memorial, Boston; Coliseum, Sea; three theatres in Kansas City ; Pa Columbus ; Keith, Cincinnati ; Str Vancouver ; Victoria-Eglinton, ronto ; Fox, San Francisco ; five j atres in Los Angeles ; Harris, I| burgh ; Paramount, Syracuse and; Grandin-Lee in Roanoke. TV A vs. SAG (Continued from page 1) would receive $85 for the half-1 , program, plus $96 for rehearsa total of $181." If the program were an hour lji Heller added, the performer w[ get even more at TVA rates. TVA's executive secretary [ said that as against SAG's prop J of $175 for a 48-hour week, the T contract would give the same former in a half-hour show $373 the same number of hours. Film television production, H. pointed out, is unlike a regular tion picture production. While J takes weeks to finish a motion ture, he said, a half-hour film ' vision program usually requires" more than two days of shooting.: In the same statement, TVA j charged that SAG leaders have 'j torted" TVA's demand regarding;! use of film television. Reshuffle Dates ( Continued from page 1 ) recently refused to hear the Lawt Trumbo appeals, and the two foi writers are slated to appear here ji day to pay their fine and start sens their one-year jail sentences. The new schedule for the other v to appear in District Court here lows : Albert Maltz, Alvah Bessie Samuel Ornitz, June 20; Hei Biberman and Edward Dmytryk, 21 ; Ring Lardner, Jr., Adrian S and Lester Cole, June 22. The c were reshuffled for the convenient government and defense atton I Previously they had been spread I three weeks.