Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1950)

FILE COPY ^dT^(5 T I ^3 !Nf IP I ^3 T ^LJ 1^ JEr Accurate DAILY Concise and Impartial *OL. 68. NEW YORK, U. S. A., FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1950 TEN CENTS ilPEA Board )kaysUKPact n Principle Johnston Reports On It it 1-Hour Meeting Here , By CHARLES L. FRANKE The board of the Motion Picture Export Association, meeting here esterday, received from Motion Picture Association of America resident Eric A. Johnston a report n. the new remittance agreement with Britain and approved in principle the esults of the London negotiations. Johnston, following the one-hour leeting which he left hurriedly to ioard a plane at Idlewild Airport for Vashington, said "the group approved he agreement in principle." I It was indicated later by spokesmen or the MPAA that although there (Continued on page 13) Juckley Intends to lemain in Industry 1 Harry D. Buckley will resume an ictive identification with the industry sipon completing his recovery from his •urrent physical set-back, it was disposed here yesterday along with formil announcement that he has left United Artists. Buckley, whose most recent capacity with UA was as head of domestic operations, dates his association with the ;ompany in key executive roles back !:o its founding. He was associated with Mary Pickford and Douglas (.Continued on page 11) Brooklyn Paramount Sold to University The Paramount office and theatre building in the downtown section of Brooklyn has been purchased by Long Island University, it was disclosed by Tristram Walker Metcalf, president of the institution, and William Zen Zeckendorf, president of its board of trustees. Purchase price was not disclosed. The 11-story building is assessed by the city at $2,780,000. The 4,188-seat theatre has been leased back to United Paramount until 1960. The house is a first-run in the borough. 'IA ' Position on US-UK Pact to Be Set Next Week The official reaction of Hollywood labor to the principles embodied in the American industry's new remittance agreement with Britain is due to be formulated next week at the IATSE's pre-convention board meeting which will open in Detroit on Monday. In the early phase of the AngloAmerican negotiations last June when the British made their since rejected proposal which would force American producers to make pictures in England, the Hollywood AFL Film Council voiced strong opposition to such an arrangement. Subsequently, "IA" international president Richard F. Walsh expressed fear that a "compulsory" production provision would inspire virtually every other foreign country to demand a similar arrangement, to the detriment of Coast labor. Upon his return on Thursday from the London talks, Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers president Ellis Arnall said he could not see that Hollywood labor would object to the new arrangement since no compulsion was connected with (.Continued on page 13)' Grant Deferments to Workers in Industry Washington, Aug. 3. — An essential status was accorded the motion picture industry as the Commerce and Defense Departments tonight released a lengthy list of industries in which workers might expect deferments — temporarily, at least — from calls to (Continued on page 13) House Bars Ceiling On Ticket Prices Washington, Aug. 3. — The House agreed today that there should be no Administrative limit on motion picture admissions prices. It adopted an amendment to the Economic Control Act exempting from possible future regulation box office prices, as well as advertising rates of newspapers, magazines, radios and TV stations. The amendment was introduced by Rep. Frank Buchanan of Pennsylvania. TO A Future Plans Await Expected Business Upswing The executive committee meeting which Theatre Owners of America scheduled for last month was postponed indefinitely, it was learned yesterday, pending the upswing in theatre business implicit in United Paramount president Leonard Goldenson's recent citation of 21 pictures forthcoming from nine companies. In a letter to the company's stockholders last month, (Continued on page 13) 'Irma' Crowds Para., 'Men' Quickens Pace Excepting the Bob Hope personal appearance, "My Friend Irma Goes West" gave the Paramount here its biggest opening business in close to a (Continued on page 11) 20th to Release 36 of Its Own. Plus Others, in Year New Haven, Aug. 3. — Twentieth Century-Fox will release 36 studioproduced pictures plus an additional but undetermined number of outside films from Sept. 1, 1950, to Aug. 31, 1951, E. X. Callahan, New England division manager, announced today to members of his territory at their regional convention here. The number is an increase of six over 20th-Fox's previous plans for studio-produced pictures. Callahan's announcement was based on the Spyros P. Skouras-Darryl F. Zanuck plan, put into effect this year, to increase production in order to supply more quality product to the nation's theatres. The announcement supplemented the division manager's recapitulation of the remarks by vicepresident and general sales manager Andy W. Smith, Jr., at the Central division sales convention held in Chicago last week. Augmenting this was the disclosure of publicity and advertising details by vice-president Charles Einfeld, who told the New England representatives of campaign plans for the increased number of releases. He laid particular emphasis on the importance of trade paper advertising and promotion as a vital adjunct of film salesmanship in carrying the company's product message to its customers. The 36 pictures will include 12 in Technicolor, averaging one a month. (Continued on page 11) Hughes,Brandt Deal Awaits Clarifications Stock Transfer Jan. 1 Cause of Complications By GENE ARNEEL j Meetings on the legal ramifications of Harry Brandt's Trans Lux Theatres deal with Howard Hughes continued here yesterday with principals for Hughes reporting they remain in agreement in principle on terms, that the offer to sell is a firm one and the Brandt proposal to buy is regarded as fully valid. The "deferred delivery" nature of the transaction has been responsible for the delay in its consummation, it was said. The spokesmen said that the complications which have arisen, as reported yesterday in Motion Picture (Continued on page 13) IT Pay Hike Offer Forestalls Walkout Strike action by Universal's 375 home office "white collar" workers, threatened prior to the return from Europe of "U" president Nate J. Blumberg, has been forestalled by a "satisfactory" wage raise offer by the company, it was reported yesterday bv Russell Moss, executive vice-president of IATSE Home Office Employes Local No. H-63. However, Moss indicated, the issue of a year's retroactive pay based on the increase agreed upon still has to (Continued on page 11) Advance Tax Bill; Vote Levy on TV Washington, Aug. 3. — The Senate Finance Committee made further strides today in its efforts to speed an emergency tax-increase bill to the Senate floor, with the decision already voted to retain the 20 per cent Federal admissions tax. Also, in late session yesterday, the committee voted to impose a 10 per cent manufacturers* tax on TV sets, matching the present levy on radios. The vote on the TV tax came as a surprise to the Radio Manufacturers' Ass'n. here, which had not expected such swift action.