Motion picture daily (Jul-Sep 1953)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY VOL. 74. NO. 2 NEW YORK, U.S.A., THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1953 TEN CENTS Sees A Budget Cut for Gov't Films Abroad Cutback Predicted for Information Division By J. A. OTTEN Washington, July 1.— A House Appropriations sub-committee has cut drastically funds requested by the Eisenhower Administration for the International Information Administration, including the film program. The Truman Administration had originally proposed appropriations of $114,500,000 for the II A for the fiscal year which started today. The Eisenhower Administration revised this downward to $87,600,000, and the House sub-committee voted to allow only $60,000,000. The HA had $88,300,000 for its operations during the 12 months ending yesterday. If the House sub-committee cut should be sustained by the House and Senate, it would require drastic cutbacks in all IIA divisions, including the film program. The motion picture division had asked $6,400,000 for the (Continued on page 4) L.F. Erikson Heads 'Voice of America' Washington, July 1. — Leonard F. Erikson, New York radio and advertising executive, today was named head of the "Voice of America." His new duties, which he will take over on July 27, will include the revamping of the whole overseas information program of the government, with particular emphasis on radio activity. The new "Voice" head is vice-president and director of McCann-Erickson, Inc., New York advertising agency. In his new post he will succeed Alfred H. Morton, who will remain with the International Information Administration as consultant to Dr. Robert L. Johnson, director. Special Holiday Shows on B'way Special holiday shows will be held on Saturday, Independence Day, at the Paramount, Roxy and the Radio City Music Hall, in addition to a number of other Broadway houses. The Paramount has also scheduled extra shows tomorrow and Sunday. SRO for 'Stalag' At Astor Opening "Stalag 17" opened to standing room only business yesterday at the Astor Theatre, where a near record opening day gross of $9,000 was reported. The terrific opening compares with the first day record gross of $10,000 established in Nov., 1951 by "Battleground" at the Astor. Paramount will launch the Coast engagement of the World War II picture on July 15 at the Warner Theatre, Beverly Hills Pioneer Hunt Sees Record Prosperity Wildwood, N. J., July 1. — At the opening here of Paramount's "Shane" at the Shore Theatre, William C. Hunt, 81-year-old industry pioneer and head of Hunt's Theatres, said that he felt the combination of three-dimension and wide-film together with improved sound would lead to a period of prosperity greater than any yet enjoyed by the industry. He said further that patrons like 3-D and urged exhibitors to "hop on the bandwagon" and get equipment installed now so as to keep the public enthused with the new media. Hunt said that four of his company's seven theatres were equipped for 3-D presentation and also that "Shane" was being presented with RCA stereophonic sound and a completely new wide Syncro-screen, making the Shore Theatre the first house in the state to offer its patrons all of these improvements. Hillside Appeal ToBeBasedOn U.S. Price Act Despite Judge Sidney Sugarman's ruling that the Robinson-Patman Act does not apply to motion picture films, the plaintiff in the Hillside Amusement case will make the validity of the Act one of the principal points in an appeal that will be filed this month or early in August. Judge Sugarman on Monday granted the defendants their motion for dismissal of the case which had charged discrimination of film rentals against Jacob Unger's Mayfair Theatre in Hillside, N. J. Six distributors were named defendants. Arthur C. Fink, of counsel for (Continued on page 4) Tax Repeal Subject At K.C. Compo Meet Kansas City, July 1. — The Kansas City area meeting of the series set up by the national tax campaign committee of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations was held Tuesday at the luncheon room of the advertising and Sales Executives Club. Beverly Miller, area chairman for COMPO presided and Julian Brylawski outlined the procedures for bills now in Congress and explained the present situation as to the proposed tax repeal. The subject of exhibitors' use of Korean Fund trailers also was presented. Homemade Wide-Screen Wins New Fans: Pickus After six weeks of operation with his homemade wide-screen process, Alfred Pickus, owner of the Stratford Theatre, Stratford, Conn., said yesterday that his own system, which he calls Amp-O-Vision, is bringing back the "lost audience." Pickus, who is secretary of the Theatre Owners of America, reported that business was still hold' mg up and that there are no signs of a drop-off. A few weeks ago he revealed that patronage had increased 50 per cent since he installed the system. "I feel that we have recaptured the lost audience," he declared. "More of the older people now are coming back." Pickus recently brought back "The Greatest Show on Earth." He stated that those who had seen the picture on the regular screen said it looked like a different picture on his widescreen. This means, he added, that such spectacles as "Quo Vadis," "Samson and Delilah" and "Ivanhoe" can have greater meaning. "A most important factor to me," he said, "is that we have had people come back who have not been to the theatre for years because of very poor eyesight. Now they' are coming regularly." Schine Seeks New Extension On Divestiture See D. of J. Opposing Modification of Decree Washington, July 1. — Schine Theatres has .asked the Federal District Court in Buffalo to extend its deadline for selling some 25 theatres and other properties, and also to modify the earlier anti-trust decree judgment in other respects. This was revealed by Justice Department officials here. Obviously the fact that Schine has gone to court means that the Department has refused to consent to the circuit's requests and will fight it in court. Justice officials would not comment, however. Schine's latest divestiture deadline was June 24. At that time, under a Jan., 1952, modification of the original anti-trust decree, it was to have completed all divestitures required under the decree. Justice officials said that as far as they knew about 25 theatres and other properties have not yet been sold as required by the decree. ABC-TV Proceeds On 'Parade' Pilot Despite the lack of formal agreement with the American Federation of Musicians, work on the pilot film for the industry's TV promotional series, titled "Hollywood Parade," is proceeding on the Coast. Officials of the American Broadcasting Co., a division of American Broadcasting Paramount Theatres, are currently selecting reels from feature films, it was stated. Meanwhile, an AFM source said it (Continued on page 4) Equipment Sales Up, Says DeVry Chicago, July 1. — "Sales recorded during the first six months of 1953 are greater than at any other time in the 40year-old history of our firm," W. C. DeVry, president of DeVry Corp., manufacturers of motion picture projection equipment revealed here today.