1l

,
Charles
;
ALBANY—Charles
*
bany
,
recent
! Paramount
,
the
'
town
[
cently,
I
i
]
.
for
^
• and
I
Fight on Censorship
Outlined by Porter
NEW YORK— Political and legal action to
combat screen censorship was discussed here
June 3 by Paul Porter, attorney for Screen
Writers Guild and former chairman of the
FCC.
He outlined the censorship fight at a luncheon
sponsored by the Americans for Democratic
Action, a non-Communist political organization.
Porter spoke of the antitrust suit
his law firm filed June 1 against the majors.
MPAA. SIMPP and Eric Johnston. The suit
grew out of the dismissal of nine screen
writers and a director accused of communism
by the house subcommittee on un-American
affairs.
The ADA is setting up a special film section
to be recruited from industry ranks and
labor unions. The film section will have two
functions— to fight for freedom of the screen,
and to use the prestige and power of films
and film personalities during the forthcoming
political campaigns.
In respect to freedom of the screen, Quincy
Howe, chairman of ADA arts division, pointed
out that the organization will use its facilities
to defend the rights of producers to
make films like "Gentleman's Agreement"
and also "The Iron Curtain." He said that
if you restrict the right to make one kind
of picture, you also will lead to suppression
of other types of films. Howe also argued
for the right of individuals to picket or voice
their public disapproval of any film.
Elmer Rice, playwright and member of
the
Civil Liberties Union, also spoke. He discussed
threats to the freedom of the screen
by minority pressure groups—religious, racial,
economic and occupational. He cited, instances
in which these groups succeeded in
censoring films by a threat of boycott.
The first amendment guarantees the
American people the rights to see and hear
as well as read, said Rice. He urged that
this right for the majority be protected
against censorship and pressure by minority
groups.
Still another threat to the films was posed
by Milton D. Stewart. New York director of
ADA. He pointed out that the development
of television and facsimile transmission will
affect the film industry. He predicted a time
will soon come when the film industry will
fall under FCC regulation and censorship as
a result of its interest in television.
House Group Cuts ECA Film Fund
WASHINGTON—The hnu.se
appropriations
committee slashed to $10,000,000 the recommended
appropriation to in.sure convertibility
into U.S. dollars of foreign earnings of
motion pictures and other information media.
The State department, at the request of
the army, had asked for $15,000,000. The
house and senate are to act yet. but they
will be guided by the house committee action.
The money is contained in the bill of the
Economic Cooperation administration.
Paul Hoffman. ECA head, urging the full
sum (June 3i said it is a good idea "to
stimulate the circulation of American publications
throughout the world."
UA Home Office Workers
Join AFL Local H63
NEW YORK—"A large majority" of the
United Artists home office workers became
dues-paying members of the AFL home office
employes local H63 June 1 following the
expiration May 31 of the UA contract with
CIO Screen Office and Professional Employes
Guild, according to an H63 spokesman.
United Ai-tists has refused to negotiate a
new contract with SOPEG because the union
has not complied with the non-Communist
affidavit requirements of the Taft-Hartley
law. H63 is now awaiting word from the
National Labor Relations board on its application
for a shop election of UA employes.
Serkowich Will Handle
Promotion on U-I Film
NEW YORK—Benjamin H. Serkowich, who
recently organized his own publicity firm, has
been engaged by Universal-International to
handle the special promotion campaign on
"Man Eaters of Kumaon," the Monty Shaff-
Frank Rosenberg production. Serkowich formerly
was advertising, publicity and exploitation
director for Columbia.
'Bad Sister' Set for N. Y.
NEW YORK—"Bad Sister," J.
Arthur Rank
production being released by Universal-International,
will open at the Winter Garden
June 10, following the current "River Lady."
Margaret Lockwood and Dennis Pi'ice are
starred.
But Rep. John Rankin iD., Mi.ss.i said he
didn't agree, for it would be given to films
and publications favoring the ECA plan. "If
that is true, it certainly is an outrage, and
some committee of Congress that is authorized
to do so should investigate it, and
should do it now."
The house committee said:
"The administrator should insure that adequate
and mutually satisfactory arrangements
are made for the remittance to the
U.S. of earnings profits, interest, commissions
and other services or investments of
citizens of the U.S. in the nonparticipating
country."
Final Hearing Slated
On Code Revisions
ALBANY—One more public hearing will
be
held by the state board of standards and appeals,
probably in Albany, on the revised code
on places of public assembly. The hearing
must be advertised 20 days by the board, so
probably will be held within a month.
The meeting will take up the numerous
recommendations made at and since the hearings
held in five cities a year ago.
The revised code was drafted by an advisory
committee, including film industry
representatives, to replace one promulgated
in 1925. Allowing a month for printing after
the code is written in its final form, it will
be next fall before it becomes effective.
Russell Downing Is Named
Radio City Executive
NEW YORK—Russell V. Downing, vicepresident
and treasurer of the Radio City
Music Hall, has been named executive vicepresident
by G. S. Eyssell, president. Eyssell,
who was recently made executive manager of
Rockefeller Center, inc., also announced the
promotion of James Gould, assistant treasurer,
to the post of treasurer.
Downing has served on the Music Hall staff
since 1933. Prior to that, he was assistant to
the president of Tidewater Oil Co. and. later,
treasurer of the Prudence Co., financial organization.
E. Brennan Dies
E. Brennan, veteran Allawyer
who acted as arbitrator in the
action brought by the Capitol City
Amusement Co. (the Eagle Theatre i against
involving double clearance for
Delaware and Colonial, died in his downoffice.
He had been in ill health reaccording
to his partner Judge Anthony
DeStefano.
UJA Post to Hershfield
NEW YORK—Harry Hershfield has been
appointed chairman of the columnist committee
of the amusement industry campaign
the United Jewish Appeal. The committee
will begin its work with a luncheon June 17
at the Hotel Astor, sponisored by Moss Hart
George S. Kaufman.
AT ROMBERG CONCERT—Snapped at the Sigmund Romberg concert at Constitution
Hall in Washington, which was sponsored by the Variety Club there, wa.s
the above group, left to right: Frank M. Boucher, chief barker of Tent 11; Fred
S. Kogod, chairman of the welfare committee: President Harry S. Truman. Sigmund
Romberg, and Wade Pearson and Jack Foxr of Tent U.
BOXOFFICE ;
; Jimc
5, 1948
N 49