BRITISH NEWS BRIEFS

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1949, Page 5

BRITISH NEWS BRIEFS

The Troubles Of The Film industry Reeeived Friday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 11. A working party of eleven has been appointed by Mr. Harold Wilson, prosident of the Board of Trade, to disCOver why forty British films made in 1947-48, cost so much to produce, The cost of the forty ranged between £100,000 and £350,00*0 each. The woTking party 's aim is to iind a means of ending the crisis which has closed more than half Britain 's studios. Britain 's showmen are reported to be worried by an ineident at Reading,, Berkshire, when the public asked foi their money back because they disliked a Mickey Rooney film "Summer Holiday. " The film was withdrawn aud substituted by Barbara Stanwvek in "Polly Fulton" and the people who paid to see Mickey Rooney were allowed in free. Afr. Walter Fuller, secretary of the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Asoc.iation, said in London: "We deprecate the publicity given to the Reading ineident. Tf people think they can get their money back it will be bad for business all round. " The Dailv Afirror, commenting on the public 's action, said: "That's the stuff — if you don 't like what you pay for, there is no need to put up with it, in cinema or anvwhere else. " EYES OF BY-ELECTIONS Political cireles are. taking close interest in four pending bv-eleetions. They are at South Hammersmith and Mr. Beleher's former constitueney of Sowerby, Batley and Morley, and North St. Paneras. The Conservatlves are hoping they ean wrin those at South Hammersmith and Sowerby where they will make special efliorts. All have been held by Labour sinct 1945. MILD WINTER Britain is having what is generally deseribed as an unusuallv mild winter So far there has only been one severe cold spell at Christmas which was sandwiehed between two unpleasant periods of fog. According to Mr. E. L. Hawke, secretarv of the Royal Afeteorological Society, however, it is not an "unusuallv" mild winter but an unusual dry spell. Afr. Hawke says tho winters of this centurv had been much milder than those of the nineteenth eentury. Since 1940, however, there ha've been four exeeptionally severe winters and the people, fememberingthem, think hv ebntrast that this one is a record for 'm'ildness. New Zealanders are looking forward lo seeing tli.e Dominion's cricket teaui plaving her.e during the summer and are hoping that the present mild weather will not be followed bv later inclemen cies. Mr. Hawke says. however, thai winter weather was no effect on the following summer. NEW RADIO COMEDY SHOW Afr. Ted Kavanagh, New Zealand sCript writer of Uma which ended with the sudden death of Tommv Handlev, is planning a return to radio with a big weekly show. He deelares that he is going to start from the bottom again "besause that's the way popular programmes are made." TTe is looking for. a new comedian — a man or wom — with a radio personalitv to work with a new and unknowu cast. "T'll build up a new Tommv Handlev," he said. "We will have the sarne old spirit. " He is also planning a weekly funnv show for television and to write a book about Tommy Handley.