Boxoffice-January.07.1950

Newest British Move
Won't Aid Industry
NEW YORK—British treasury statements
that foreign investors can now take their
capital, previously frozen for ten years, out
of the countrj- caused little comment in the
film industry, which considers its own British
problem a specialized one.
It was pointed out that the industry has
never wanted to invest in British enterprises,
that such investments as have been made
amounted only to "peanuts," and that what
Is wanted is an end to restrictions on film
business.
The British move was viewed as a "slight
gesture" to foreign investors and one having
political overtones, but not one aimed at
clearing up the motion picture situation.
One specialist in foreign affairs called attention
to the "unique agreement" worked out
by American and British film men which
will come up in the near future for reconsideration,
adding that "we will make our
own deal."
Another meeting of the Anglo-American
Film council is due in London in the not
too far distant futiu-e, but exactly when it
will be held is not known either to MPAA
or SIMPP. The latter has not yet selected
all of those w-ho will represent it at the
conference. The feeling in New York circles
is that the U.S. industry will have to wait
until the British labor government decides
whether it is politically desirable to stage
the conference before or after the British
general election, now regarded as coming
some time in March.
Distributors Begin Own
Operations in Germany
NEW YORK—With the beginning of the
new year, operations independent of the
Motion Picture Export Ass'n were begun in
Germany by Allied Artists, Columbia, MGM,
Republic and United Artists in line with the
decision of those companies to break away
from the joint setup.
Paramount, RKO, 20th Century-Pox, Universal-International
and Warner Bros, began
conducting sales and advertising campaigns
out of their own offices there, but MPEA
is handling physical distribution for them.
The new setup will be thoroughly tested
before decisions are made as to whether to
retain other MPEA foreign services. The
MPEA contract in Austria expires in August
and there is some question as to whether it
will be renewed. MPEA contracts with "iron
curtain" coimtries, also expiring in August,
probably will be renewed. These countries
are Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania,
Russia and Yugoslavia. The same is true of
Japan, partly because it will continue to be
an occupied country through 1950.
Robert Maroney Is Named
To RKO Post in Panama
NEW YORK—Robert C. Maroney, formerly
head of the RKO foreign department 16mm
division, has been named assistant manager
to the RKO Panama office by Phil Reisman,
vice-president in charge of foreign distribution.
Maroney, who has been with RKO for
four years, left for his new post December 31.
Arthur Herskovitz, assistant to Maroney.
has been promoted to head the 16mm division
and Charles Belmont, a member of the department,
has been made his assistant.
Schimel Takes Over;
Goldberg Delayed
NEW YORK—Adolph Schimel officially
took over his new post as vice-president
and general coimsel of Universal Pictures
Co. January 3, but Leon Goldberg, recently
elected vice-president and treasurer,
was still busy with production details at
the coast studio. Goldberg is expected here
about January 15 to asstime his hew
duties.
Schimel, who had been secretary and
attorney, succeeded Charles D. Prutzman,
and Goldberg will replace Samuel Machnovitch,
both of whom resigned. Prutzman
will continue in a consulting capacity.
The resignations followed that of
J. Cheever Cowdin, chairman of the
board, who will leave the company after
the annual meeting in March. There will
be no board chairman after that, according
to the company.
EGA Okays 19 Films
In Pad Wilh MPEA
WASHINGTON—Of the 35 film titles
proposed
by the Motion Picture Export Ass'n
for convertibility guarantees in the last five
months of 1949, only 19 were foimd acceptable
by ECA, it was revealed this week. On request
of MPEA, the agency has decided not
to release the names of the films accepted
or rejected, although it will definitely name
the films for 1950 release which will be
guaranteed by ECA. A $25,000 per title guarantee
will be made over the actual distribution
cost.
The agreement with MPEA, signed last
week, covered releases from August 1 of last
year through the end of December, and called
for a total of $636,400. This includes $19,000
each as a part of the negative cost for each
of the 19 films okayed. All above the $361,000
thus accounted for represents out-of-pocket
distribution expense.
Announcement of the films to be guaranteed
this year in a series of contracts with the
individual companies is expected in about a
month. Each film approved as beneficial to
our foreign policy and general campaign to
be understood in Germany will be given assurance
that marks earned will be cashed
in to the extent of print costs and other
out-of-pocket expenses and in addition $25,-
000 per title. UntU the signing of the agreement
for MPEA covering the films released
in the latter part of 1949, the guarantees had
covered only the out-of-pocket expenses.
Seidelman to See Rank
NEW YORK—Sam Seidelman, head of the
Eagle Lion foreign department, left during
the w^eek for a two-week visit to London and
Paris. Diu-ing his stay in England he will
see J. Arthur Rank for production-distribution
talks.
Morros Sets Lehar Film
VIENNA — Boris Morros, American producer,
has signed a contract with Willy Porst,
Viennese producer, to make the life of Franz
Lehar, the Austrian composer, as a joint Austrian-American
production, in both English
and German versions.
MPEA Lists Pictures
Making Hits Abroad
NEW YORK — "Johnny Belinda" (WBi
proved a powerful attraction in Vienna during
November and into December, according
to the Motion Picture Export Ass'n. Others
doing well there included "The Great Waltz,"
"Thrill of a Romance" and "Holiday in Mexico"
(MGM I, "A Double Life" (U-I) and "Call
Northside 777" and "Swamp Water" i20th-
Fox>. Elsewhere in Austria, leading films
w-ere "Jungle Jim" and "A Thousand and One
Nights" fColi, "Boys Town" (MGM) and "Mr.
Bug Goes to Town" iPara).
In Berlin, good business was done by "Call
Northside 777" and "Miracle on 34th Street"
(20th-Pox), "Road to Rio" (Para), "The
Naked City" (U-Ii. "Tall in the Saddle"
(RKO) and "The Great Waltz." In other
German cities, the leaders were "Arizona"
(Coll, "The Sea Wolf" and "Johnny Belinda"
(WBi, "Panhandle" (Mono-AAi, "The Yearling,"
"The Great Waltz" and "A Woman's
Face" (MGM), "The Pearl" (RKOK "The
Naked City" and "Miracle on 34th Street."
In Poland, "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves"
(U-I) broke MPEA records at Warsaw, Gdynia,
Lodz and Wroclaw. "Lassie Come Home"
(MGM) did well at Poznan, Krakow and
Katowice. "Gulliver's Travels' (Para) had
extended runs at Warsaw, Krakow and Katowice.
In Japan, "Notorious" (RKO) finished a
39-day roadshow engagement in Tokyo with
an average attendance for the complete run
of 98 per cent. "Seven Sinners" (U-I> ran
13 days day-and-date at eight houses. "Julia
Misbehaves" (MGMi seven days in five
houses, "Man From Oklahoma" (Rep) nine
days in five, "That Mad Mr. Jones" (Col) 11
days in six, "Green Promise" (RKO) five
days in five and "The Night Has a Thousand
Eyes" (Para) seven days in five. Three
Tokyo houses were added to the number exclusively
playing U.S. films.
CBS Executive Personnel
Undergoes Many Changes
NEW YORK—Changes in the assignment
of executive personnel of the Columbia Broadcasting
System became effective January 1.
William C. Gittinger, vice-president of AM
network sales, became senior vice-president
and assistant to President Frank Stanton.
Hubbell Robinson jr., vice-president in charge
of network programs, took over general direction
and supervision of both radio and
television programming.
J. L. Van Volkenburg, vice-president in
charge of television operations, became vicepresident
in charge of network sales, directing
both AM and TV sales. James M. Seward,
vice-president in charge of operations, became
vice-president in charge of business
affairs, network programs.
Frank Falknor. assistant general manager
of WBBM. Chicago, became vice-president in
charge of program operations. Davidson Taylor,
vice-president in charge of public affairs,
resigned. Sig Mickelson, director of public
affairs and production manager of WCCO,
Minneapolis-St. Paul, and recently named director
of the division of discussions in network
pubhc affairs, became director of public
38 BOXOFFICE January 7, 1950
affairs.