Production Encyclopedia 1952 (1952)

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20 YEARS OF MOTJON PICTURES 1 945 Jan. 25 — Cecil B. DeMille off radio as AFRA suspends him for refusing to pay union assessment to fight Proposition on state ballot. March 12 — Screen Set Decorators call strike against studios. March 30 — Screen Players Union recognized by NLRB as bargaining agent for extras only, reversing previous stand which included bits and parts. Latter now represented by SAC only. April 4 — Film Editors Local 775 gets closed shop contract. July 18 — Donald Nelson new head of SIMPP, replacing Loyd Wright, resigned July 1. Sept. 18 — Will Hays resigns from MPPDA and Eric Johnston becomes president. Name changed to Motion Picture Association of America on Dec. 1 3. Oct. 8 — Seven-year-old anti-trust suit called by government against five majors. Oct. 24 — Screen Set Decorators back to work under order of AFL, under lATSE supervision; CSU members still out. Nov. 26 — Herbert Yates becomes president of Republic Pictures Corporation, with James Grainger becoming executive vice-president in charge of sales and distribution. This new Republic Pictures Corp. was result of merger of Consolidated Film Industries, Inc., Republic Pictures Corp. and Setay Co., Inc. Nov. 28 — Universal and International Pictures merge as United World Films for distribution, with J. Arthur Rank Pictures in combination, and Leo Spitz and William Coetz in charge of production of Universal-International Pictures; Cliff Work resigns. Dec. 1 8 — First anti-trust suit on television patents filed in New York by Dept. of Justice against Scophony Corp.; General Precision Equipment Corp.; Television Productions, Inc.; Paramount Pictures, and Scophony, Ltd. of England. Dec. 1 9 — J. Arthur Rank supplements Universal-International deal by releasing arrangement with Eagle-Lion. 1 946 Jan. 19 — Carpenters, painters, machinists, decorators refuse to decognize studios' interpretation of decision by AFL on jurisdictional strike. Feb. 7 — N. Peter Rathvon, president of RKO Corp., becomes president of RKO Radio Pictures following death of Charles Koerner, who had been executive vice-president. Feb, 26 — U. S. Supreme Court grants Jackson Parks Theatre damages against majors on unlawful conspiracy charge. March 4 — Enterprise Pictures formed, with David Loew and Charles Einfeld as president and vicepresident in charge of production, respectively; lease taken on California Studios, to be known as Enterprise Studios. April 24 — Eagle-Lion Studios new name of PRC Studios, PRC Productions being absorbed by EagleLion of which Arthur Krim is president and Robert Young chairman of the Board. June 1 — Nassour Studios incorporated. June i5 — Bryan Foy new executive vice-president in charge of Eagle-Lion production. July 1 — CSU painters, carpenters, set decorators and screen story analysts strike. Return to work on Julys. July 30 — SWG adopts the American Authors Authority, sponsored by James M. Cain; later rejected by Authors League of America in May of 1947. Sept. 12 — Carpenters strike because of lATSE Set Erectors working. Producers fire all those who refuse to work on "hot" sets and on Sept. 26 members of CSU back up carpenters in walkout. Oct. 30 — RCA's all-electronic color television shown at laboratory for first time. Nov. 12 — William E. German elected president of J. E. Brulatour, Inc., succeeding the late Jules Brulatour. Dec. 1 1 — David O. Selznick leaves United Artists to set up own releasing company, SRO. Dec. 31 — Final decree in government's anti-trust suit against majors handed down with 60 days granted for appeals. 1 947 Jan. 3 — Gene Autry leaves Republic and forms Gene Autry Productions to be released through Columbia. Jan. 22 — First Los Angeles commercial television station, KTLA, established. Feb. 5 — Dore Schary becomes executive vice-president in charge of RKO production. Feb. 17 — Motion Picture Foundation established. Feb. 26 — Five majors appeal Statutory Court's Consent Decree to Supreme Court. April 8 — James Nassour buys General Service Studios. April 17 — Stanley Kramer's Screenplays Company formed. May 16 — J. Parnell Thomas, chairman of House Committee on Un-American Activities, starts hearings in Hollywood. June 10 — Pat Casey retires from AMPP as labor contact. Aug. 1 — Gradwell Sears named president of United Artists, Arthur W. Kelly becomes executive vice . president and George Bagnall executive vicepresident in charge of production. Aug. 6 — England freezes 75 percent of American film earnings. Aug. 13 — Harry Michaelson named president of RKO Pathe, replacing Fred Ullman, jr., who resigned to become producer at RKO Radio. Aug. 15 — House probes Labor situation in Hollywood. Aug. 1 6 — PRC completely absorbed by Eagle-Lion, with president Harry Thomas resigning from PRC. Aug. 19 — Suit charging anti-trust violation on color photography filed against Technicolor and Eastman Kodak by U. S. Attorney General. Sept. 19 — Theatre Owners Association formed from consolidation of American Theatre Assoc, and M.P. Theatre Owners of America. Ted Gamble, formerly president of ATA, elected president; Fred Wehrenberg, formerly president of MPTOA, chairman of the Board, and Charles Skouras, treasurer. Oct. 1 3 — Film Classics, headed by president Joseph Bernhard, becomes subsidiary of Cinecolor. Nov. 25 — -"Unfriendly 10" who refused to testify in "red" probe in front of House, cited for contempt; producer Adrian Scott, directors Edward Dmytryk and Herbert Biberman; writers John Howard Lawson, Ring Lardner, Jr., Samuel Ornitz, Alvah Bessie, Lester Cole, Albert Maltz and Dalton Trumbo. 1 948 Jan. 1 — AF of M bans all new recordings. Jan. 31 — Donald Nelson resigns as president of SI MPP and Gunther Lessing takes over pro tem. Feb. 9 — Government consent decree to Supreme Court today. Feb. 16 — First daily motion picture television newsreel, with 20;h-Fox Movietone News, over NBC East Coast, sponsored by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. March 1 — House of Representatives committee chairman C. Kearns, investigating studio strike situation, invites more than 100 Hollywood persons and organizations to clear themselves of charge of being communists in front of the Committee. March 2 — "Unfriendly 10" file suit against industry for firings. March 12 — Federal Communications Commission asked to revoke KMPC license, charging station guilty of editorial bias. . . . New British film pact signed releasing good portion of American funds. April 19 — M.P. Relief Fund hospital dedicated . . . John Howard Lawson found guilty of cohtempt of Congress. May 4 — U.S. Supreme Court sends theatre divestiture section of consent decree back to Lower Court for further study. May 1 1 — Howard Hughes takes over control of RKO Radio Studios and RKO Theatres from Floyd Odium's Atlas Corp. July I — Dore Schary resigns as head of production at RKO; Sid Rogell named in his place. July 21 — ASCAP'S theatre fees in violation of antitrust laws. New York Federal Judge rules, outcome of suit filed in 1934. Aug. 9 — Dore Schary signs MGM contract as vicepresident in charge of production. Aug. 16 — Enterprise fails to take up option for California Studios, shortly after dissolving company.