Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

Trial Again, Come A utumn, in Decree Action, Probably (Continued from preceding page) stitute the specific provisions of its August 7 modification petition, removing the presumption that clearance was necessary. Mr. Wright concluded by saying the Attorney General rejected compromise by consent. He summarized the Department's position with, "There is no possibility of adequate relief through consent — it zuas only an experiment." Thereafter, Mr. Proskauer offered the companies' affidavits for Judge Goddard's consideration in the event he accepts the Appeal Board decisions in evidence. The companies' brief was then promised for Tuesday and March 26 was fixed as the pre-trial conference date, at which time the Government's replying brief must be filed with the court. At the close of the hearing, marked by protracted debate over the admissibility of Arbitration Appeal Board decisions as proof of antitrust violations, Judge Goddard permitted the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers, represented by Morris Ernst, and the Conference of Independent Exhibitors, represented by Jesse L. Stern, to file briefs as "friends of the court" on the Department's motion for a temporary injunction. Company counsel present were : John W. Davis, John Caskey, Richard Dwight, Joseph M. Proskauer, Louis Frohlich, Edward C. Raftery, Whitney North Seymour, and Adolph Schimel. Home office counsel present were: Austin C. Keough and Louis Phillips, Paramount; Gordon E. Youngman and William Zimmerman, RKO ; J. Robert Rubin and Ben Melniker, Loew's. • Also attending were : J. Noble Braden and James J. Murphy, Jr., of the American Arbitration Association ; Sidney Schreiber, Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America ; Harold Lasser, anti-trust division; Morris Ernst, Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers, and Jesse L. Stern, Conference of Independent Exhibitors. See "Blacklists" Retained During Post-War Period "Blacklists" of South American and other companies with Axis involvements and prohibitions against dealing with such establishments by American nationals and companies are expected to be maintained in force by the United States and British Governments for a long period after the war, it was learned in Washington last week. A number of companies interested in motion pictures and equipment are carried on the proscribed list. Many of the blacklisted individuals and companies were discovered to have contracts with Axis governments through which military information was transmitted. Briskin on Three-Week Film Assignment for Navy At the request of Navy Secretary James Forrestal, Samuel Briskin, former executive producer of Columbia Pictures and RKO, has begun a three-week assignment on Navy motion picture production activities. Mr. Briskin's duties will be in connection with the operations of the Photographic Science Laboratory and allied phases of Navy film production. His assignment is said to mark another step by the Navy Photographic Services, headed by Captain Gene Markey, USNR, to effect a coordinated operation of Navy photographic activities, attuned to current war needs. Files Omaha Trust Suit On Advertising Films Alleging violations of anti-trust regulations, Joseph Meyer of Omaha, doing a film advertising business under the name of the S. and M. Service, filed suit in Federal Court, Omaha, March 3, for $50,000 damages against three film advertising companies and four theatre corporations operating theatres in the Omaha area. Named as defendants in the petition, filed by J. J. Friedman, attorney, are the Alexander Film Company, Colorado Springs, Colo.; the United Film Ad Service, Kansas City, Mo. ; and Ray-Bell Films, St. Paul, Minn., all advertising firms ; and the following theatre operators : Tri-States Theatres Corporation and Central States Theatres of Des Moines ; Pioneer Theatres of St. Louis Park. Minn. ; Griffith Dickinson Theatres, Kansas City, Mo. The defendants are accused of entering into exclusive contracts for the showing of film advertising on the screens of the theatres, thus barring the showing of Mr. Meyer's film ads. Kirsch Demands Majors Cooperate With Independent by SAM HONIGBERG in Chicago More cooperation from "some of our major distributors" if the independent exhibitor is to remain in business was. demanded by Jack Kirsch, president, at the annual convention Tuesday in Chicago at the Blackstone Hotel, of Allied of Illinois, Inc. Mr. Kirsch was re-elected president for a seventh ternj Declaring that the independent had not cashed in on the war prosperity wave, "placed as he is on the end of the line where a picture has lost most of its drawing power," Mr. Kirsch adyised the distributors that the "bright first-run situation is not reflected in the neighborhoods." He reminded them that the neighborhood exhibitors have fixed expenses they must meet regardless of receipts. "If we are to give the distributor our preferred playing time, we must have more attractive deals to assure us a profit or we cannot survive," he contended. Following a checkup among members, Mr. Kirsch revealed that the combination of the midnight curfew and the brownout edicts had resulted in earlier trade in neighborhood houses, with little business coming in after 8 P.M. He said that advanced admission prices were not encouraged by the Allied state unit. Van Nomikos' was reelected vice-president, Richard B. Salkin, secretary, and Harry Nepo, sergeant-at-arms. All directors, with the exception of John Semidatos, who was succeeded by John Mitchel, were reelected. They were Arthur Davidson, Ben Banowitz, Bill Charuhas, Edward Trinz, S. Roberts, Charles Nelson, Jack Rose, Ludwig Sussman, Ben Bertelstein, Joseph Stern, Verne Langdon, Benjamin Lasker, Abe Goldstein and Lou H. Harrison. Paramount Promotes Roper Jack Roper, statistician in Paramount's distribution department, has been promoted to assistant to Hugh Owen, New York and southern division manager, it was announced last Wednesday by Charles M. Reagan, vice-president in charge of distribution. Mr. Roper has been with the company 24 years. Taylor Heads DuMont Sales The appointment of Herbert E. Taylor, Jr., as director of transmitter equipment sales of DuMont Laboratories, Inc., New York, has been announced by Leonard F. Cramer, vice-president. Mr. Taylor, formerly assistant director of sales, has been with DuMont for several years in various capacities OWI Asks Studios To Back Unit for Propaganda Films Robert Riskin, director of the overseas film division of the Office of War Information, who arrived in Hollywood last week for a three-week visit, told the trade press Monday his mission was to interest studio executives in a $1,000,000 nonprofit, industry-supported company which would produce documentary and informational short subjects about the American way of life for release abroad. The films would be made under the guidance of the State Department in order to carry forward and expand the present OWI type of film activity after the Government agency was disbanded at the war's end. Mr. Riskin said the project, which has State Department approval, would require a $1,000,000 investment to finance the first year's operations based on the production and distribution of 24 shorts made in 27 languages for worldwide distribution. The funds would come primarily from the industry, he said, but some financing might be advanced by Governmental agencies which had appropriations for such uses. The OWI director said he had discussed the project privately with several New York company heads. Under the proposed plan, producers, directors and writers would contribute their services and work under a leading documentary producer, not yet selected. A staff of men who learned documentary technique during the war, some of whom were still in the armed forces, would be employed. Over all would be a policy board including a State Department representative who would outline the Government's views with respect to the subjects required. The distribution of the shorts would be handled in the same manner as the present OWI output, with key exchanges in various countries in charge of the physical handling and all companv staffs cooperating, Mr. Riskin said. Both 16mm and 35mm prints would be provided, with non-theatrical exhibition predominant, but with theatrical channelling of those subjects considered suitable for commercial purposes. Mr. Riskin expressed confidence that the proposed company would be self-sustaining ultimately. The principal objective, he pointed out, was to spread knowledge of the American way of life and promote better understanding among nations. Queried on reports that William Wilder had been offered a post in charge of American films in Germany after V-E Day, he replied negotiations were in progress but were not yet ready to be discussed. He indicated, however, that such a post would cover only that portion of Germany occupied by Americans. Independents File in Arthur Decree Action The Appollo and Princess theatres, St. Louis, this week filed an intervention motion in the case of Harry C. Arthur and the St. Louis Amusement Company against the Government's Consent Decree in the St. Louis Federal District Court. The petitioners charged that a conspiracy existed between the Government and the distributors to give Franchon and Marco a monopoly of first run pictures. Federal Judge Richard M. Duncan is expected to hear the motion about March 15. War Department Short Released March 15 "The Enemy Strikes," a one-reel film, produced by the Army Pictorial Service, has been set for release March 15, through the War Activities Committee. The film highlights war production needs by scenes, mainjy from German sources, of our losses of men and material in the December Battle of the Bulge." Under Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson has called upon the industry, through the WAC, to give wide distribution to the film. |4 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 10, 1945