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Warner Int'l Parley<br />
In New York June 9<br />
NEW YORK—Warner Bros, has scheduled<br />
a three-day international sales convention at<br />
the Waldorf-Astoria for June 9-11. It will<br />
be the first big-scale annual meet in three<br />
years, according to Ben Kalmenson. vicepresident<br />
in charge of distribution. Company<br />
representatives from all over the world wUl<br />
attend.<br />
Production plans will be discussed in detail<br />
and those attending will be given an outline<br />
of story properties lined up for stars<br />
under contract.<br />
Merchandising plans for the films scheduled<br />
for the remainder of the season will be<br />
discussed. Among these pictures are: "The<br />
Pountainhead," starring Gary Cooper and<br />
Patricia Neal, to be released July 2; "The<br />
Girl From Jones Beach," starring Virginia<br />
Mayo and Ronald Reagan. July 16; "Look<br />
for the Silver Lining," starring June Haver,<br />
Ray Bolger and Gordon MacRae, Technicolor,<br />
July 30, and "The Lady Takes a Sailor,"<br />
starring Jane Wyman and Joseph Gotten.<br />
H. M. Warner, Jack L. Warner and Maj.<br />
Albert Warner are expected to attend. Home<br />
office executives who will attend will be;<br />
Samuel Schneider. Mort Blumenstock, Harry<br />
Kalmine, Norman Moray, Wolfe Cohen, Roy<br />
Haines, Jules Lapidus, Norman Ayres. I. F.<br />
Dolid, Ed Hinchy, Clayton Bond, Bernard<br />
R. Goodman, Harry Goldberg. Howard Levinson,<br />
Harold S. Bareford, R. A. McGuire and<br />
Charles Bally.<br />
Offers New 'Outlaw' Ads<br />
But No Suit Compromise<br />
NEW YORK—Reports that Howard Hughes<br />
is willing to drop his three-year-old $2,500,000<br />
triple damage antitrust suit against the<br />
Motion Picture Ass'n of America if that organization<br />
will okav a new set of ads for<br />
"The Outlaw" were denied May 24 after<br />
representatives of <strong>MPAA</strong>, Hughes and RKO<br />
had previously declined to comment.<br />
The denial was made by the office of Judge<br />
Samuel Rosenman, retained by Eric Johnston,<br />
<strong>MPAA</strong> president, as coimsel in the matter.<br />
"Hughes has submitted a new set of ads<br />
but he has not offered to call off the suit<br />
if they are approved," the spokesman said.<br />
"The <strong>MPAA</strong> has made no move as yet to<br />
pass on the ads. That is all I can say."<br />
The film was originally distributed by<br />
United Artists which, not being a member<br />
of <strong>MPAA</strong>, showed it without a production<br />
code seal. When Hughes bought a controlling<br />
interest in RKO, an <strong>MPAA</strong> member,<br />
and made a deal with UA to have RKO handle<br />
the film. <strong>MPAA</strong> found the advertising<br />
objectionable and withheld its approval.<br />
Majors File Pet. Suits<br />
In Cleveland Court<br />
CLEVELAND—Separate percentage fraud<br />
suits have been filed, in U.S. district court<br />
here by Columbia, Universal. RKO, Loew's,<br />
20th Century-Pox and Paramount against<br />
Mrs. Nazera Zeglob, operator of the Dreamland,<br />
Elvira and Pearl Theatres at Loraine,<br />
Ohio, and the Liberty at Vermilion. Ohio.<br />
Thomas M. Harman of the Cleveland law<br />
firm of Jones, Day, Cockley & Reavis is local<br />
attorney for the film companies, and Sargoy<br />
& Stein of New York are counsel.<br />
42<br />
Jules Levey to Europe<br />
On Distribution Deals<br />
NEW YORK—Jules Levey flew to Germany<br />
May 23 to finalize negotiations for distribution<br />
of two groups of his completed pictures<br />
abroad and to contract for American distribution<br />
of French, Italian and British product.<br />
He will also see thi'ee foreign pictures In<br />
which he has a substantial investment and<br />
arrange for further Investment in foreign<br />
production.<br />
The distribution deal for Germany, Austria<br />
and France covers his United Artists releases,<br />
"Abilene Town," "New Orleans," "The Hairy<br />
Ape" and "Jacare," as well as five of his Mayfair<br />
Productions, which were released by Universal-International.<br />
Levey will stay at the George V. hotel,<br />
Paris; the Savoy, London, and the Excelsior,<br />
ROme. He will also visit Holland, Belgium,<br />
Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Denmark<br />
and Israel.<br />
Ascap-Telecasters Hope<br />
For June 15 Agreement<br />
NEW YORK—Ascap and the television networks<br />
hope to reach an agreement on music<br />
fees by June 15, the deadline for free use of<br />
Ascap music for video. To protect themselves<br />
in case the negotiations for a fee schedule<br />
fall through, the station executives are continuing<br />
to line up rights to non-Ascap music,<br />
particularly from the Broadcast Music, Inc.<br />
The presidents of the networks and Ascap<br />
officials have been meeting regularly since<br />
May 16. These meetings picked up where<br />
earlier meetings between Ascap and the television<br />
committee of the National Ass'n of<br />
Broadcasters broke off May 6. when a deadlock<br />
was reached.<br />
Tlie first indication that the situation had<br />
improved came May 19, when Ascap extended<br />
the deadline for the free use of its<br />
music from June 1 until June 15.<br />
The Ascap board of directors met Thursday,<br />
May 26, to discuss the latest offer of<br />
the networks and to offer additional proposals.<br />
Eastman Kodak Co. Moves<br />
Its New York Branch<br />
NEW YORK—Eastman Kodak Co. has<br />
moved its New York branch distribution unit<br />
from Hudson St. to new quarters at 1334 York<br />
Ave., Manhattan, reconditioned at a cost of<br />
over $500,000. The new home, a four-story<br />
structure of reinforced concrete, has 160,000<br />
square feet of floor space, 120,000 of which<br />
are occupied by the 200 employes of the<br />
branch, according to James E. McGhee, vicepresident<br />
and general sales manager.<br />
It is air conditioned both for the personnel<br />
and for the storage of sensitized goods, has<br />
facilities for the demonstration of professional<br />
photo materials and provides rest and recreation<br />
rooms. Thomas M. Connors, manager,<br />
said there will be a formal opening later.<br />
Neil Agnew to Distribute<br />
Italian-Made 'Pagliacci'<br />
NEW YORK—Neil Agnew, president of Motion<br />
Picture Sales Corp., has sent word from<br />
Italy that he has closed a deal for western<br />
hemisphere distribution rights to "Pagliacci,"<br />
Technicolor film made in Italy with the La<br />
Scala Opera and the La Scala Orchestra.<br />
Charles L. Casanave, MPSC vice-president,<br />
says the film will be given special distribution<br />
arrangements next fall.<br />
Jap Theatremen Air<br />
Plaints by Request<br />
NEW YORK—Japanese exhibitors are beinT<br />
invited to sit down with the distributors,<br />
present their grievances and suggest improvements<br />
in service, according to a message to<br />
the Motion Picture Export Ass'n from Charles<br />
Mayer, its managing director in Japan. The<br />
first of a series of forums was held about<br />
two weeks ago in Fukushima with 35 exhibitors<br />
and five MPEA representatives attending.<br />
Complaints ranged from occasional delays<br />
in the routing of prints and dissatisfaction<br />
with the dates of program changes to tardy<br />
delivery of publicity materials. Cooperative<br />
printing of theatre programs and continuation<br />
of MPEA lectiu-es on management and<br />
showmanship were suggested. Mayer feels<br />
that the forums will result in better service<br />
to the 800 theatres showing MPEA product.<br />
U-I Names 'Illegal Entry'<br />
As Bond Premiere Film<br />
NEW YORK— "Illegal Entry" (U-I), which<br />
will open June 8 in the RKO Keith Theatre,<br />
Washington, has been designated as one of<br />
the industry's bond premiere pictures in the<br />
Treasury department's Opportunity Savings<br />
Bond drive. The first bond premiere will be<br />
at the Ritz, Los Angeles, June 9, according<br />
to Mam-ice A. Bergman, industry chairman.<br />
U-I also has designed "Take One False<br />
Step" as a bond premiere picture.<br />
"Calamity Jane and Sam Bass," also U-I,<br />
will have a special bond premiere at the<br />
Majestic, Dallas, June 8. This will be the first<br />
bond premiere in the southwest. It is being<br />
tied in with the personal appearances of a<br />
group of Hollywood stars headed by Yvonne<br />
DeCarlo and Howard Duff.<br />
Christophers' Citation<br />
Goes to 'Joan of Arc'<br />
NEW YORK—"Joan of Arc" (RKO) has<br />
received the first award given a film by the<br />
Christophers, a group devoted to promoting<br />
Christian principles in public life. A citation<br />
on a parchment scroll was given Walter<br />
Wanger, producer, by Father James Keller,<br />
founder and director of the four-year-old<br />
organization, at a luncheon May 25. Dated<br />
"on the 418th anniversary of the martyrdom<br />
of Joan of Arc," it called the film an "inspiring<br />
demonstration that a motion picture<br />
which stresses the spiritual ideal, goodness<br />
and decency can be a popular success."<br />
'Capricorn' Promotion<br />
NEW YORK—Grosset & Dunlap will<br />
publish<br />
a special 100.000 printing of "Under<br />
Capricorn " the novel by Helen Simpson on<br />
which the Ti-ansatlantic Pictures film of the<br />
same name is based. It was directed by<br />
Alfred Hitchcock for Warner Bros, distribution.<br />
The illustrations will be scenes of<br />
Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten taken<br />
from the film.<br />
Audrain Quits Prestige<br />
NEW YORK—LawTcnce Audrain, who has<br />
been director of publicity and advertising<br />
for J. Arthur Rank Prestige unit of U-I since<br />
its formation in July 1946. has left to become<br />
managing director of the newly formed<br />
British Book Centre on east 55th street.<br />
Audrain's successor will be announced later.<br />
BOXOFFICE<br />
:; May 28, 1949