Variety (Mar 1948)

TOA Alleges EF. Assn. Jumps With AU-Indusfry Builder-Upper Overall Industry public relations-- campaign, on which the Theatre Owners of America was set to em- bark next weekend, has turned in- stead into an intra-industry wrangle. TOA toppers arj^. com- . plaining that the Motito Picture Assn. and the^MPAA's eastern ad- vertising-publicity directors com- mittee are trying to grab onto the campaign at their expense. TOA prexy Ted Gamble and his committee were firecracjsered into action by a press release from the . MPAA for Monday (29) morning's papers. It announced plans of the MPAA pub-ad group's campaign "to acquaint the public from coast to coast with What that body dtaribes As 'more good motion .pictures than ever before in the Mstory of the Aaieric*m film In- tlustry'," ' ; Plans for a similar campaign had been announced by Gamble at a TOA board meeting in Los An- geles two weeks ago and were am- plified in an ittterview with the trade press in iSTew York. test Thursday (25), • Atcbrding to TOA toppers, they ssked the pub-ad managers to meet ■vrith them last Wednesday, Ke- quested at that time was a list of top pix frosp each company which the TOA committee could sift, picking out the best to sell the idea that great liew films were cooling Irom Qiie studies. Aim was to reverse current widespread pub- lic belief that the British tax and ^ding domestic grosses had the wolf at Hollywood's door. The meeting was highly amicable, with mutual pledges of cooperation. Pub-ad heads held their own confab, the following day, with Kenneth Clark, MPAA public rela- tions chief, from Washington, and ,Tom Waller, the Association's New ■Jfork press rep, attending.' Each (Continued on page 24) Eepublic*s election to the Mo^ Hon Picture Assn. of America on ■to«iday l29) makes it the eighth aistiib-memlJer of the organiza- tion. Other members include all the majors except, tlnifed Artists, '■which withdrew several years ago and never returned. ^ Not in are 3Ea;^e Lion, Monogram, Selznlc|£ Beleasing Origanlzation, Film Clas- yAtk mi the ^tes ri^ts distribs. ' Janixal meeting of the MPAA, in New York, at which Hep's re- quest for membership was given ■the nod, also reelected all ^rec- tes of the association. Meeting ■otlwrwise was perfunctory, carried »n almost entirely by proxies.' It ■was held only to comply with the ■by-laws, which require the yearly session be caiUied on the last Mon- iday in Mareh.' Next actual business conclave of the MPAA will be the meeting of the board April 12. In the mean- time, first section of preXy Eric Joimston's annual report is ex- pected to be issued in Wasiiington this week. Following the pattern initiated last year, the report will t>e released in parts, ramer than in bulk the dai? of the annual meeting. V.p. Francis Harmon subbed for Johnston at Monday's ■ session. Johnston is in San Francisco visit- ing his mother, Mrs. Ida B. John- ston, who is seriously iU in a hos- pital t^ere.- She fell and fractured her hip some time ago and recently contracted pneumonia. MPAA topper flew out SaturdiQr (27), UA to Peiroit Hughes'' 2' Via EKO If Atlas Deal Set Howard Hughes and Grad Sears, United Artists topper, have made a tentative arrangement by which UA would give up its distribution rights ■ on two of Hughes' unre- leased films if the producer con- summates his deal for the purchase of RKO. No agreement has been reached on price for UA to relin- quish the films, but it is reported in the neighborhood of $275,000. Hughes' films are "Mad Wednes- day," Harold Lloyd-starrer, made by Preston Sturges, and "Ven- detta." Producer told Sears he would like to have distribution rights to the films if he took over the Atlas stock, giving him control of*BKO, UA prexy agreed, pro- vided they eould arrive at an equitable figure on what distribu- tion of the films would mean to UA under c ■ tract by which Hughes is committed to pay the disfcrib 25% of «ie groi^. Hndso&'sB:di Via Pic Salesmen Earle Hudson, Paramount the- atre partner named to head the ThealicOwners of America's new publicity drive, will put the bee on major company distribution chiefs to get "his campaign moving on a salesmen level. The United Detroit circuit topper will meet with sales heads of all the com- panies this week as the initial step in the newly birthed campaign. He's going to ask .distribution veepees to fajstruct their salesmen to talk up the better-prodnct-ahead pitch regardless of whose picture is who^e, "It's"our idea," Hudson said, "to get salesmen to build up the theme that great pictures are ahead in 1948 as part of the plan of ending downbeat talk in the in- dustry. We intend asMng sales managers to pass the word down that salesmen help along the pro- gram without worrying whether any particular picture is put out by his employing company or a competitor. In so doing, he helps along the entire industry." Hudson figures that the 600 or so salesmen in the industry aver- ((^ntinned on page 3i0) ■ / Diffar«e ®f 15 BIqc&s" ■ Plenty Big oil Biaitt B,0. Diterence between fifew tor&'s 42d street and 57th street appears to be more than the 15 blocks which separate Brandt's Apollo, just oft" Times square, from the posh Little Carnegie. "Passion- elle," French film which was pulled out of the Little Carnegie after one week because of bad biz, is part of a dual bill that rang up a 14-year record at the Apollo last week. Pic is teamed with "Torment," Swedish-made, which previously had a 10-week engagement at the Avenue, N. Y., and some other dates. Gross for the initial Apollo week was around $];6,0<M). Move to llrottk Politics of Stars Washington, Match 30, Film stars have a right to appear in politieal films, including new*- reels, and otherwise take part in politics, the Motion Picture Assn. of America malle clear here Sun- d^ (28). In a letter to B. H. Poole, exec- utive secretary of the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners, Eric Jolinston, prez of the Assn., rejected a resolution on the subject by PCOITO. Besolution protested "the appearance of mo- tion picture stats in political propaganda* films. Including news- reels." "I most emphatically disagree with it (tlie resolution)," wrote Johnston "I shall take no action along the lines it suggests. "In a sense it is perfectly true, as you suggest, that motion picture stars bblong to the public, but in a broader sense, this relationship in no way st.eplizes their rights and duties as American citizens. Motion picture stars are not a class apart. "They must be as free as all (Continued on page 22) Pro-Tito Pic Seized h Canada for license Lack Toronto, March 30. Motion Picture Censor Board has seized and confiscated a five reel fihn dealing with Marshal Tito's administration in Yugo- slavia and also fined Emeric Simac $100 and court costs for showing the film without the Board's iip proval and another $100 for using an unlicensed projector. Film was shown in a iectuire hall, With O. J. Silverthome, chaiman of the Censor Board, pointing out that the confiscation was not'neces- sarily one of Ked propaganda sup- pression but a matter of the film's not being submitted for censor- sbifi approval. Unfredng $13,000,000 Front France Pi^k fw H wood Under New Deal fti Gddwjn's Mws Fiscal policies of Samuel Gold- wyn Productions were given a care- ful o.o. at last week's session on the Coast of the company's eastern execs with the producer. In HoUsnvo'od to take part in the talks, in addition to prexy James A. Mul- vey, were Sylvan Oestreicher of Ol- vaney, Eisner & Donnelly, Gold- wyn's tax attorneys, and Harcy Archinal, auditor and assistant Sec- retary, Mulvisy, Oestreicher, salesman- ager Arthur Sachson, foreign chief Alfred Crown and publicity-adver- tising topper Lynn Farnol planed east from the Coast over the week- end. Farnol stopped over in Den- ver and is due in New York today (Wednesday). Ai%binal» held on the Coast, arrives east tomorrow. Pat Duggan, story editor, in a change of plans, will headquarter permanently on the Coast. He came to New York last fall vtdth Gold- Viiyn and it was decided at that time he would shift his offices there permanently. After confabs on the Coast last week, he returned east to get his setup ready for moving to the studio again. Action is expected to be taken in mid April. MAYER MAY DISPOSE OF ffiSN.Y.RIALTaFOR250G Deal may be consummated this week for sale of the lease on the Bialto theatre on Broadway by Ar- thur Mayer to James J. Mage. Mage, French refugee, owns the Laflmovie in ^Kmes Square and similar houses in Baltimore and Boston, as well as the Cinephone circuit of 16 theatres in Belgium and France. He also distribs for- eign films in the U. S, Mayer's lease on the HialtO has about IVi. years to, go. Considera- tion is in the neighborhood of $250,000, with Mayer retaining an interest in the house until it is paid off. After a policy for many years as a "house of HOrror," play- ing shock-type Ibw-budgeters to ati- tract times Square waik-in trade, Blalto recently shifted to foreign films. It's done iatr)y well undtf this policy. -Mage, it is understood, plans to continue the foreign films for the time being, at least. He reportedly hopes, however, to make a deal with an indie or group of indies to keep the screen occupied with their product, similar to the arrange- ment the Astor has with Samuel Goldwyn and the one now being worked out between the Victoria and David O. Selznick. Difficulty, however, is that the Rialto has onl^ 60(r sei^ and couklia't foe enlarged except at very heavy cost ianisl Producer iill.S. Carl Dreyer, Danish film pro- ducer and director, is scheduled to arrive in Hoboken, N. J., Friday (2) on his first visit to the U. S. aboard the S. S. Falstria. Whl|e in New York Dreyer will attend the American preem'of his "Day of Wrath," slated to open soon at the Little Carnegie, N. Y. He also plans a trip to the Coast to study American film-making techniques. Metro's $50,000 Buy Of European- Medico Novel Hollywood, March 30. Metro yesterday (Monday) closed a deal for screen rights to an epic- size novel, "Bodies «nd Souls," published in Newr York tliiis-weelCf Written by Maxence van'^r Meerscb, it is a translation from the French. • Studio paid slightly less than $50,000 for the rights. The'654-page yarn is a story of the French medical worl4 between the two recent wars, with a tre- mendous list of characters and events. Published in France and sevesral other European countries last year, it was a begt-«eller there. It's being issued by a new pub- lishing house in New York. Pelle- grini & Cudahy, and is considered a "dark horse" for hitting the.best- seller lists here.' In any case it will probably be impossible to use the title because of conflict with Enterprise's "Body and Sotil." Wallis Dickering With delzmckr '*. • Hollywood, March 30. Hal Wallis may move into the David O. Selznick camp as an indie producer releasing uirough the Selznick Releasing Orgioilzation when his contract with Paramount expires. WaUis is reported nego- tiating with Selznick with a better than- even chi^ce that a deal will go through, f A number of talks were staged by Wallis and Joe Hazen, his partner, with Selznick when the former was in New Yoric recently. Door is Still open for Wallis to return to Par on a renewal of his 12-pix pact but the duo have been unable to get together on several important details. Wallis is claim- ing that Par has been diarging too much again^ his films for studio overhead. Indie producer wants a ceiling placed on overhead charges or some other proviso which would cut that charge considerably. ladie producer has two more films to deliver to Par oudEO' « ionr-year coatratst. Par's stift stance is believecL to be partiaUy based on its recent acquisition of a number of indie imits including , Liberty Films and Rainbow Productions. That's brought such top talent as'William Wyler, Frank Capra, George Stev- ens, Sam Bxiskin and Leo MeCarey to the Paramount studios. ^ Se^s Insurance HoUywood, Mardi 30. New group Insurance plan will be adopted by the Screen Publicists Guild if 75% of the members vote for it. To date, about 60% have expressed their wUlingness. Idea is that film flacks who carry studio life insurance lose out when they leave the studio. lipped Costs Keep WC Net Profit to $3,333j250 Net earnings of General Aniline & Film Corp. totalled $3,333,250 in 1947. While the profit was slightly ahead of the $3,188,895 netted in '46, earnings were tagged as un- satisfactory by Jack Piye, com- pany prexy, who noted that sales increased some $11,000,000 during the year but costs almost kept pace with a $10,000,000 hike. Dependence of General Aniline on others for its raw materials is under study by the management, according to Frye, and company's expansion program will tackle that problem. Total sales came to $75,- 009,538. Equivalent earnings per share of common A stock amounts to $4.5S against $4,33 in '46. T, - .t.u.P®5*"Ston, March 30. Possibility of unfreezing somp themoteW 01 frozen lo iywood coia inrifcance looms here, aHhe State Department is getting readv t9 announce titet it wUl siiS renegotiate the Blum-Byrnes Mm. accord. . The French rwently requested rfianges in the pact, which pra- vldes that French films must be shown in French theatres during four week's playing time of each quarter, with tlie remaining period open to all comers. The French are asking tb.at their guaranteed share be increased to seven weeks per quarter. Indications are considered good by insiders that the U. S. will agree to an increase in the French play- ing tune, providing it can arrange a deal to get some of its coin out o£ the country. Since 1939, only about $1,800,000 of film profits have been allowed out. Pictures- are virtually the only industry whicii has not been able to get its postwar earnings bikck to America from Fr^Hoce. Another angle is tftat the French are currently hard put to tnnt out enough pictures to meet commit- ments for four weeks a quarter. In fact they have not been, able to do so, and so the present law is not lived up to. Hence, it will be some time before the French can supply their own screens for seven weefa per quarter. Feeling is that the French gov- ernment is merely making a ges- ture for home political consuiup- tion, because Cotiimy pressure in Prance has been stirring up trouble among the studio workers, charging that the American pictures ajc taking jobs away from them, PARIS PIX PRODUCTION NOW AT EITIME low Paris, March 26. Pictiure' industry in France is now at an alltime low. Not only do such iirms as Univers Films have to shutter, tut wen big studios like Buttes Chaumont, in Paris, are serving notice on their personnel that they must look for jobs elsewhere. Only pic still roll- ing there Before foldhig is Sacha Guitry's "Lame Devil" (from his current legiter), almost completed. Not, oDtly are bankers tii^tening to the limit, but in many cases unforeseen complications prevent production. Picture prepped by di- rector Calude Autan-Lara ("Diable au Corps"), titled "Ble en Herbe" {"Green Wheat"), from a Colette novel, has struck a snag. Adapted, by Pierre Bosc and Georges Auren- che, who are coproducing, the script Is claimed by Roger Leen- liardt to be based on Ws "Demieres Vacances" and Boger Ferdinand, Authors Society prexy, will arbi- trate the matter, pending which the film remains in the blueprint stage. Jean Bartel George Bradsbaw Ann Corio Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. John Garfield Cy Howard , Danny Kaye Gian-Carlo MeoottL Burgess MereiUth Charles Prutzmaa Phil Heisman Irving Shiffrin Robert Siodmak Jules Weill John C. Wilson Fred Zinnemann N.Y. to Emroiie Cecil Beaton Sidney Bernstein Hume Cronyn Alfred Hitchcock Irying B. Kahn Peter Levathes Paul Muni Lyman Munson, Jr.* Natalie Schaefer Eugen Sharin Murray Silverstone Jean Simmons Spyros Skouras Sir Philip Warteic Europe to N.Y. Denny Dennis Jean Sablon L.A.t®N.Y Robert Ardrey Ed Begley Nprman BlaeMbom Mal^y Boland Bing Crosby Alfred Crown Pat Duffgan Lynn Farnol Jules Fields Judy Garland Nat Goldstone Jed Harris Signe Hasso Jerry Hausner Helen Hayes Al Jolson' Ben tCalmenson John Kennedy John Laurenz Peter Lawford Rouben Mamoolian Frederic March Harold Molandet James Mulvey Sylvan Oestreicher Alan Posner Bob Roberts Wm. F. Rodgeis Benny Rubin Ann Rutherford Jack Schaefer Silas P. Seadler Gloria Scott Jimmy Van Heusen Ruth Warrick Paul Warwick Clifton Webb