The Exhibitor (Aug-Nov 1948)

THE EXHIBITOR 9 FC Bonus Plan Highlights Meet New York — With Film Classics meeting in its first international sales session last week, Joseph Bernhard announced a permanent bonus plan beginning on Jan. 1, 1949. Bernhard said that the company will be a cooperative organization, with profits shared by “all who help to make them.” Under the new setup, all personnel will share in the profits independent of spe¬ cial sales drives. B. G. Kranze, vice-president-general sales manager, presided over the threeday meeting, and announced that terri¬ torial increases in business amounted to 70 per cent over mid-February of this year. Also speaking were Jules Chapman, as¬ sistant general sales manager; A1 Zimbalist, ad-publicity head; Eugene Arnstein, executive assistant treasurer; David Horne; foreign sales manager; Ted Birnbaum, assistant to Kranze; Herbert S. Stern, general counsel; Albert Mannheimer, exchange operations chief, and William Markert, print department head. Among the guests were A. Pam Blumenthal, FC and Cinecolor board chairman, and Albert Gundelfinger and Karl Herzog. Eight promotions were announced as follows: Jake Lutzer, from Dallas exchange man¬ ager to southern division manager; Jules K. Chapman, from assistant general manager to assistant general sales manager; Ralph Peckham, from Atlanta branch manager to Dallas branch manager; George Lefko, from Indianapolis branch manager to Detroit branch manager; John McKenna, from salesman in the New York ex¬ change to head same office; Lou Bernhard, formerly salesman in St. Louis and New Haven, to head, home office playdate and liquidation department; Ed Spiers, from branch manager, Milwaukee ex¬ change, to branch manager, Chicago ex¬ change, and Bob Bernhard, from sales¬ man, New York exchange, to assistant to David Horne, foreign sales manager. J. J. Payette Mourned Washington — The trade was shocked to learn last week of the death of John J. Payette, Warner Theatres’ zone manager. Payette died at his home after a lengthy illness. Payette first came into the industry as an usher at the old Academy of Music, and, at the age of 17, was appointed man¬ ager of the Rhode Island. He served in World War I, and, during the last war, was chairman for the District for the War Activities Committee, and was a member of the executive committee. Civilian War Services, and other groups. He is survived by his wife; four chil¬ dren, a brother, and two sisters. It's A Boy New York — A son was born on July 31 to Mrs. John H. Rugge at the Hacken¬ sack Hospital, N. J. The father IS assist¬ ant to Warners’ personnel director Ralph W. Budd. The baby, John H. Rugge, Jr., weighs six pounds, two ounces. "Writers Must Offer More," Says Schary BOULDER, COLO. — Dore Schary, MGM’s new production chief, last week told the University of Colorado Writers Conference that with the film industry facing “tough days,” writers aiming at work in Hollywood will have to offer something more than just a talent to rewrite. According to Schary, the film capital stimulates and subsidizes more new talent than any other creative art. "Bingo" Bill Fought Trenton, N. J. — Public hearings on the Reiffin “Bingo” Bill, which would legal¬ ize the game when conducted by religious, fraternal, or war veterans organizations for charity, were held yesterday (Aug. 10). The bill provides for a state-wide referendum vote on the “Bingo’’ propo¬ sition at the general elections on Nov. 2. The minority Democratic party members of the House and Senate advocate enact¬ ment of the measure. The Catholic War Veterans, the AMVETS, VFW, and many Catholic churches also favor the bill, which is strongly opposed by the Council of Churches of New Jersey representing the Protestant denominations, the New Jersey Taxpayers’ Association, and theatremen. Industryites declare that legalizing of “Bingo” will permit professional promot¬ ers from outside the state to come into New Jersey, and enter into an arrange¬ ment with organizations to conduct the game for charity, while splitting the cash receipts for themselves for running the game. Theatremen are, of course, con¬ cerned with theatre attendance which may drop with “Bingo.” Edward Lachman, Allied Theatre Own¬ ers of New Jersey president, called an emergency meeting to discuss the problem. George Gold, chairman; Walter H Jones, and Bernard Vogel, legislative committee, were to present the attitude of the organ¬ ization. 20th"Fox' Settlement Delayed New York — Judge Ferdinand Pecora last week reserved decision on the proposed settlement of the 20th-Fox stockholders’ suit. Pecora heard testimony, and ordered briefs of contending parties to be in no later than Aug. 16. Key issue is the pro¬ posed amendment of the existing contract between Charles P. Skouras and National Theatres under which he would receive compensation of $480,000 annually. Com¬ plainant attorneys battled against the pro¬ posed settlement on the grounds of its not being “a real and substantial concession.” Defending attorney Samuel Rosenman said that National Theatres must net $6,400,000 in any year for Skouras to re¬ ceive the maximum proposed salary, and added that the corporation would net about $9,000,000 this year. France Cites RKO Man New York — Marcel Gentel, RKO gen¬ eral manager for France, has been awarded the Medaille Militaire by the French Government, for “action above and beyond the call of duty during time of war,” it was announced last week. Reveal Winners In RKO Sales Drive New York — Winners of the llih annual Ned Depinet Drive were announced last week by Robert Mochrie, RKO vice-presi¬ dent in charge of domestic distribution. Salt Lake City, Giff Davison, manager, won first place in the capitol prize group. Oklahoma City, Ralph Williams, man¬ ager, took second place with Denver, Joseph Emerson, manager, third, and Charlotte, Rovy Branon, manager, fourth. Toronto, Jack Bernstein, manager, won first place in Canada, with Montreal, Mur¬ ray Devaney, manager, second. The three group division prize winners, with two winners in each group, are as fol¬ lows: Group one: First prize, Atlanta, Hubert Lyons, manager; second prize, Dallas, Sol Sachs, manager; Group two: First prize, Pittsburgh, Dave Silverman, manager; second prize, Minneapolis, Fay Dressell, manager; Group three: First prize, Sioux Falls, Sherman Fitch, man¬ ager, and second prize, Des Moines, Max Rosenblatt, manager. District managers’ prizes were: First, A1 Kolitz, Rocky Mountain; second, Leo Devaney, Canadian, and third, Dave Prince, southeastern. Best salesman in each of the districts was: R. Richardson, eastern central; Earl Dyson, prairie; Harry Levinson, western; Maurice Basse, southwestern; Morris An¬ derson, midwestern; William Canelli, northeastern; Tom Watson, southeastern; Kerman Silverman, metropolitan; James Rea, Canada, and David Silverman, eastern. Home office representatives were: first, Frank Duffy; second, Paul Back-Milton Yeoman, and third, George Jacoby. Field supervisors were: First, Robert Hickey; second, David Cantor, and third, Harry Reiners. Field exploitation winners were: T. B. McCormick, Denver; Ed Terhune, Dallas; William Prager, Washing¬ ton; Gene Gaudette, Minneapolis; Charles Kinney, Atlanta; Ed Holland, Des Moines; Alan Wieder, Pittsburgh; George Degnon, Toronto; Los Angeles, Fred Calvin; Cincinnati, Hugh MacKenzie; Chicago, Wally Heim; Philadelphia, Doug Beck; Vancouver, Lloyd Muir, and San Fran¬ cisco, Joe Longo. C. P. Skouras Honored Los Angeles — Charles P. Skouras was last week named recipient of the Great Heart Award to be made by the Variety Club of Southern California at a testi¬ monial banquet on Aug. 16 at the Am¬ bassador Hotel. The award, to be made for the first time this year, will be given annually by the showmen’s organization as a tribute to an outstanding citizen for his “unselfish con¬ tributions to community betterment, patriotic endeavors, and leadership in public welfare projects.” More than 900 top executives from every branch of Southern California business life, city, state, and federal government figures, as well as film industry person¬ alities from Hollywood, New York, and Chicago, will attend. Bob O’Donnell, Dallas, Chief Barker, Variety Clubs, In¬ ternational, will come to Los Angeles to make the presentation to Skouras. August 11, 1948