The Exhibitor (Aug-Nov 1948)

12 THE EXHIBITOR Smith Distrib Chief For ''Youth Month" New York — Charles P. Skouras, national chairman, “Youth Month” committee, The¬ atre Owners of America, last week an¬ nounced that Andy W. Smith, Jr., general sales manager, 20th Century-Fox, has consented to serve as distribution chair¬ man of the drive. Smith is in charge of the distribution of the two-reel subject, “Report For Action,” and arrangements for cooperation of national distributors and Film Exchange groups, with local state and theatre chair¬ men participating. Hailing “Youth Month” as a time in which emphasis is placed upon youth and its significance to the future of America, Attorney General Tom C. Clark asked public cooperation in “Saluting Young America” during a September celebration. Attorney General Clark launched his plea at a meeting of newspaper, radio, magazine, advertising, and motion pic¬ ture representatives at the headquarters of Theatre Owners of America. The Attorney General outlined that “Youth Month” is an outcome of the Na¬ tional Conference for Prevention and Con¬ trol of Juvenile Delinquency convened in Washington at the call of the Depart¬ ment of Justice in 1946. Brazil Controls Suspended New York — The Central Price Commis¬ sion Order Number 78, suspending all price controls on both theatre admissions and film rentals throughout Brazil, was published in the official Gazette July 31, and is now in effect, according to a cable¬ gram received last week from Rio de Janeiro by the Motion Picture Association of America. The order provides that the suspension will continue in effect until a final deci¬ sion has been handed down on the appli¬ cation of the American motion picture companies for judicial relief. The American film companies have in¬ structed their branches to resume normal operations in Brazil. "Power" Donation $50,000 New York — Warners last week turned over $50,000 to Walter Winchell, secre¬ tary-treasurer, Damon Runyon Memorial Fund, representing the profits from its two-reel Technicolor film, “Power Behind the Nation.” The film, which was produced by Warners, and distributed by MPAA, played over 10,000 theatres throughout the country. Miss Barko Honored New York — Dorothy Barko, Century Theatres’ legal staff, has been invited to present a paper at the Second Interna¬ tional Conference of the Bar Association, to be held at the Palace of Peace in The Hague on Aug. 16-21. Miss Barko will present her paper, “Modern Trends In The Law Of Succes¬ sion” to the conference. Arthur Fisher Passes New York — The trade was sorry to learn of the death of Arthur Fisher, wellknown vaudeville booker. He is survived by his widow, a daughter and son. PCCITO Trustees Hold Sept. Session LOS ANGELES — The annual meet¬ ing of the trustees of the PCCITO will be held at the Ambassador Hotel on Sept. 14, 15, 16, it was announced last week. A full attendance, including observers, is expected, with reservations already having been made by L. O. Lukan and Leroy Johnson, Seattle; Clarence Severson and J. M. Suckstorff, Mon¬ tana; Harold Chesler, Roy Firmage, Jay Christensen, and Hugo Jorgensen, Utah; M. W. Mattecheck and William Graeper, Portland; Rotus Harvey and Ben Levin, San Francisco, and Hugh Bruen, George Diamos, Stanley Steck, and R. H. Poole, Los Angeles. John Balaban Named TO A Convention Head New York — Ted R. Gamble, president. Theatre Owners of America, last week announced the appointment of John Bala¬ ban, Chicago, secretary-treasurer, Balaban and Katz, as general chairman, and Ed¬ ward G. Zorn, president. United Theatre Owners of Illinois, as vice-chairman, TOA convention committee. The convention will be held at the Drake Hotel on Sept. 24 and 25, with some preliminary meetings scheduled for Sept. 23. Stanley W. Prenosil, assistant to Gael Sullivan, executive director, TOA, left for Chicago to confer with Messrs. Balaban and Zorn on preliminary convention plans, the setting up of convention committees in Chicago. In addition to the general committee headed by Balaban, the fol¬ lowing sub-committees will be appointed from among Illinois exhibitors — hotel res¬ ervations, registrations, transportation, entertainment, luncheons and dinner, pub¬ licity, and finance. lA Readies Meeting Cleveland — Among the top figures scheduled to attend the 39th convention of the lATSE next week are Eric A. Johnston, MPAA president; William Green, AFL chief, and Thomas J. Herbert, governor of Ohio. The Alliance’s general executive board held pre-convention meetings last week with International President Richard F. Walsh presiding. More than 1,100 delegates are expected from Canada and the U. S. for the five-day convention, which will be held fri>m Aug. 16 to Aug. 20 at the Hotel Hollenden. WE SCORE BOARV {In this department will be found a rating of pictures screened by Warners, MGM, Paramount, RKO, and 20th CenturyFox under the decree. Complete reviews appear in The Pink Section. — Ed.) MGM “A Southern Yankee” — Skelton fans will eat it up. RKO “Rachel And The Stranger” — Pleasing program. “Variety Time” — For the lower half. WB “Two Guys From Texas” — Should get the dough. Warners Profit Shows Sharp Drop New York — Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc., and subsidiary companies last week reported for the nine months ending on May 29, 1948, a net profit of $10,321,000 after provision of $7,400,000 for federal income taxes. The net profit for the nine months end¬ ing on May 31, 1947, amounted to $19,134,000 after provision of $11,900,000 for fed¬ eral income taxes. The net profit for the nine months end¬ ing on May 29, 1948, is equivalent to $1.41 per share on the 7,295,000 shares of com¬ mon stock outstanding. The net profit for the corresponding period last year was equivalent to $2.60 per share on the 7,341,680 shares then outstanding. Film rentals, theatre admissions, sales, etc., after eliminating intercompany trans¬ actions, for the nine months ending on May 29, 1948, amounted to $112,415,000, as compared with $125,078,000 for the corre¬ sponding period in the previous year. Seiznick Clarifies Plans New York — David O. Seiznick last week announced that this coming winter he would make “The Greatest Show On Earth,” in Technicolor, with an all-star cast plus the Barnum & Bailey and Ringling Brothers Circus. Daniel T. O’Shea, president. Vanguard Films, revealed the above in a statement which follows; “It is not true that David O. Seiznick has transferred his interests from motionpicture to television. Seiznick has in mind, and he is looking forward to, what prom¬ ises to be the most expensive picture ever made in Hollywood.” The statement came following reports that Seiznick was abandoning big picture production for the next six months to devote his time to his newly -organized television company. The Seiznick Tele¬ vision Corporation, because of the uncer¬ tainty of the market on big pictures. O’Shea also denied that Seiznick would only furnish talent for, and be consultant on, the four-picture Alexander Korda deal. He said that on the contrary Seiz¬ nick would take a most active part in the production of the films. Cohen Suit Settled New York — The suit of Max A. Cohen Enterprises against RKO, Warners, and 20th Century-Fox, claiming $1,800,000 treble damages for alleged anti-trust law violations in connection with the New Amsterdam, was reported settled last week. The settlement involves the theatre get¬ ting product of the defendants day and date with the RKO Palace and other phases undisclosed pending court action terminating the litigation. L. O. Herb Mourned Philadelphia— Lew O. Herb, 76, father of Lew Herb, The Exhibitor’s roving cor¬ respondent, died last week in Somers Point, N. J. Burial was in. Mount Laurel, Va. In addition to his son, he is survived by two daughters. August 11, 1948