Boxoffice-July.17.1948

Start Move to Get
First Remittance
LONDON—American film companies have
made their first move to secure start of
monthly remittances under the 75 per cent
tax settlement agreement. Statements were
filed with the Anglo-American control board
of July 14 on the total receipts since June 14.
The remittance will be $1,416,000, which is
one-twelfth of the $17,000,000 total provided
for in the pact negotiated by Eric Johnston
for the MPAA and James Mulvey for SIMPP
with Harold Wilson, president of the British
board of trade.
After the monthly statements are filed the
Bank of England will, under the plan, convert
the money into dollars payable in the United
States. The participating American companies
share on a percentage basis.
Bogota Theatres Unhurt
During April Rioting
NEW YORK—William DeMello, Caribbean
manager for Western Electric, reports that
theatres in Bogota, Colombia, were untouched
during riots of April 9 when heavy damage
was inflicted on the city. Business in Colombian
theatres, he adds, has been uniformly
good with considerable theatre construction
taking place outside of Bogota. Although
quotas are still being allowed film distributors,
restrictions on remittances have
tightened.
DeMello, here for conferences with Westrex
Corp. officials, will return to his Bogota headquarters
in September after a vacation.
Target Films Completes
Documentary Feature
NEW YORK—Target Films. Inc., an independent
producing group, has completed its
first feature, "Strange Victory," a documentary
filmed entirely in and around New
York.
Alfred Drake, Muriel Smith and Gary Merrill,
all stage performers, are the commentators.
The picture was produced by Barney
Rosset jr., and written and directed by Leo
Hurwitz.
Columbia Begins Shorts
Featuring Didrikson
NEW YORK—Columbia has begun production
on the first of three golf shorts starring
Babe Didrikson Zaharias, famous woman
athlete. The shorts will be part of the World
of Sports series with Bill Stern as narrator.
Mrs. Zaharias will demonstrate the technique
that brought her top honors. Newsreel
footage of her tournament victories will be
incorporated into the reels, the first of which
is to be released in the fall.
'Illegals' Opens in N. Y.
NEW YORK—"The Illegals," produced,
written and directed by Meyer Levin for
Americans for Haganah, opened at the Ambassador
Theatre July 14. An invitational
showing, which was held the same evening,
was attended by representatives of the government
of Israel and delegates to the United
Nations.
42
Kreisler Sees Pope Pius
On Film Industry Survey
NEW YORK—B. Bernard Kreisler, who is
making a survey of the motion picture industry
in 17 countries of Europe, had a special
audience in Rome with Pope Pius XII
who stressed' the importance of selecting
proper stories for motion picture presentation.
The pope commented that the influence of
films upon the people of the world makes it
urgent that great care should be used in
presenting subject matter that embraces the
religious, moral, cultural and educational
facades of everyday practical life. The pope
said that communist propaganda should be
avoided under all circumstances.
Since leaving New York in October, Kreisler
has visited 12 other countries besides Italy.
He will return to America in late September
after completing his industry survey in Austria,
Hungary. Czechoslovakia and England.
Kreisler, who was formerly the impartial government
representative on the Hollywood motion
picture code board, will turn his report
over to the Harvard University Graduate
School of Business Administration.
J. D. Trop Forms Company
To Produce Bi-Linguals
NEW YORK—J. D. Trop. formerly associated
with Harry Sherman in the prodXiction
of features for Paramount, has formed
J. D. Trop Films, Inc., for the production of
bi-lingual features in this country and abroad.
Trop is president, Barend Broekman is vicepresident
and Marcel Broekman, secretarytreasurer.
Broekman, who produced pictures in Europe
before World War II, has left for a ihreemonth
survey of production and distribution
on the Continent. His first stop will be Amsterdam
where he will remain until his Cinetone
Studios, seized by the Nazis in 1940, are
returned to him. Later Broekman will go to
Paris, Rome, Brussels and other European
capitals.
License Job to Cannella,
Succeeds B. Fielding
NEW YORK—John M. Cannella,
commissioner
of water supply, gas and electricity, has
been appointed license commissioner by
Mayor William O'Dwyer. He filled the post
left vacant by Benjamin Fielding, who resigned
recently to join Loew's, Inc.
Canella became a department commissioner
Jan. 1, 1946 when O'Dwyer was sworn in as
mayor. He is 40 years old and' formerly was
an assistant U.S. attorney.
Duff Named Sales Head
Of Popular Pictures
CINCINNATI—Donald R. Duff has been
made general sales manager of Popular Pictures
Co., which distributes Realart and
other independent product. Duff and Lee L.
Goldberg will concentrate on the circuits and
theatres booked out of Cincinnati.
Samuel Weiss, formerly manager in the
Eagle Lion St. Louis office, has been named
to cover the southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky
territory for Popular Pictures.
20th-Fox Rents Studios
In Italy for 'Foxes'
ROME—Twentieth Century -Fox will spend
blocked lira earnings to rent six sound stages,
technical equipment and office space in the
Cinecitta studios, just outside this city. The
deal was signed with the Italian government
July 14.
"The Prince of Foxes," starring Tyrone
Power, will be the first film to be made in
the studios. Power and a Hollywood company
are now in Italy, and shooting will begin
soon.
Emanuel Silverstone of 20th-Fox International
estimated that the film will cost about
$1,000,000 in lira plus an undisclosed number
of dollars paid in the U.S. to the cast and
for special effects.
Kollmyer Named Chief
Of WE China Office
NEW YORK—William E. Kollmyer will
head the Chinese operations of the Western
Electric Co. of Asia. He will replace David
D. Wight, who will be assigned to other
duties. Kollmyer's headquarters will be in
Shanghai.
He left New York July 15 for Hollywood
where he will study new studio developments.
From Hollywood he will fly to Sydney to
supervise the installation of Western Electric
equipment at the Commonwealth Film Studios
and Fox Movietone News.
Kollmyer supervised the use of sound recording
and photographic equipment while
he served with the army from 1942-45. After
his discharge he joined the headquarters
staff of Westrex Corp., a Western Electric
affiliate.
Television Warning Puts
Damper on Delegates
PHILADELPHIA—Photographs of wellknown
Democrats being made up for television
and a printed warning to delegates
to be on their good behavior have taken
some of the old-fashioned "whoop-de-doodle"
out of this convention. An inebriated delegate
can't get on the floor. In the good old
days he could sleep in his sefit if he wanted
to do so.
The closing paragraph of the television
warning read: "We must not forget that millions
of curious eyes are on us at all times,
as well as many more millions of ears tuned
to the broadcasts. Our attention to these
points means votes."
Television Equipment Held
For Third Party Meeting
PHILADELPHIA—Television apparatus used
for the Republican and Democratic conventions
will be kept in convention hall for the
Third Party convention of Henry Wallace's
followers. Headquarters also will be maintained
by the pool in the Bellevue-Stratford.
American Broadcasting Co. also i.s planning
television coverage of the predicted rump
coiivention of southern Democrats at Birmingham,
if it is held.
Paired in Top Spots
Mary Beth Hughes and Charles Russell are
paired in top spots in Film Classics' "Inner
Sanctum."
BOXOFFICE ;: July 17, 1948