Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

VOL. 75. NO. 16 NEW YORK, U.S.A., MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1954 TEN CENTS B.O. Impetus $71,000,000 Seen for 1st 6 'Scope Films Estimate Domestic Gross On Basis of Totals Now The six CinemaScope productions currently in release, are expected to rack up a total gross of $71,000,000 domestically before the completion of their runs, it is estimated by industry sources. The estimate was made on the basis of business already chalked up by the six releases, four of which are 20th Century-Fox productions. "The Robe," the initial picture in the medium which bowed only about four months ago on Sept. 16, already has registered a resounding $20,000,000 in about 510 play-dates throughout the country, according to 20th-Fox. The other releases whose grosses are included in the estimate are 20th-Fox's "How to Marry a Millionaire," "Twelve Mile {Continued on page 3) M-G-M to Release 15 in Seven Months M-G-M will release 15 pictures for the seven months starting on Feb. 5 and ending on Aug. 27, the close of the company's 1954 fiscal year. The schedule does not include "Julius Caesar," which is being given special handling. There will be 14 in color which will be released at the rate of two a month with the exceotion of April, which will have three releases. "Saadia" heads the list of February {Continued on page 3) Rule 1 Man in Booth With Safety Film BOSTON, Jan. 24.— In what could be a precedental decision for other sections of the country, the Massachusetts supreme judical court late last week ruled 'chat motion picture theatres using safety film need no longer have two operators on duty in the projection booth during a show. The decision was made in a suit brought by more than 200 Massachusetts theatre owners against the Commissioner of Public Safety, Otis M. Whitney. The theatre owners charged that the provisions of the law concerning the employment of two operators {Continued on page 3) Depreciation Tax Would Aid Theatres WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.— Theatres installing new equipment or doing substantial remodeling would benefit greatly under a new depreciation formula approved by the House Ways and Means Committee Friday. So, too, of course, would any other industry firms installing any new equipment or buying any new property or buildings. The change would permit businessmen to write off more of the cost of {Continued on page 3) • To Name Committee New Drive-in Screen Allows Showings in Late Afternoons BOSTON, Jan. 24. — The new "Twi-Nite" drive-in theatre screen which is capable of reflecting clear pictures in daylight, or at least in the late afternoon, was demonstrated at the Natick, Mass., Drive-in Theatre last week with highly satisfactory results, according to those who were present. The new screen was developed by the Open-Air Development Corp. of which Phil Smith is president. At the demonstration, a portion of the Twi-Nite screen was held by two cranes alongside the regular drive-in screen. Pictures, in both black-andwhite and color, were projected so that part of the frame appeared on the old screen and part on the new. Observers said that the difference was "remarkable." On the new screen the {Continued on page 3) Branson Temporary RKO Foreign Head Walter E. Branson, RKO assistant general sales manager, has temporarily assumed the duties formerly held by Alfred W. Crown, who resigned last week as RKO foreign manager, it was announced by J. R. Grainger, president of RKO, in Hollywood on Friday. A permanent appointment to the post will be made in the near future, Grainger said. Allied Opposes D of J Backs Discretionary Trust Damages But Asks Treble for 'Willful' Violations By J. A. OTTEN WASHINGTON, Jan. 24. — The Justice Department favors giving Federal judges the right to award less than treble damages in certain private anti-trust suits but wants to retain mandatory treble damages where the anti-trust violation was "willful." The Department's stand was outlined in a letter from Deputy Attorney General William P. Rogers to the House Judiciary Committee. A judiciary subcommittee last week bucked to the full committee the question of what to do about a pending bill to give Federal judges discretion in all cases to award up to treble damages. At present, treble damages is mandatory whenever a defendant in a private anti-trust suit is found guilty. Rogers' letter was actually written {Continued on page 3) State Censors Seek Support of Public An open bid for public support of state censorship was made here at the weekend by the conference of state censors, which concluded its two-day meeting, sponsored by Dr. Hugh Flick, director of the New York Education Department of the Motion Picture Division. The conference, following its final session Friday morning, issued a state{Continued on page 2) Skouras to Meet U.K. Showmen on C'Scope LONDON, Jan. 24.— The Cinematograph Exhibitors Association here announced that it has received an acceptance from Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox, to its invitation to address British exhibitors Feb. 10 on his company's CinemaScope policy. The address is expected to center on exhibitor opposition to the requirement of stereophonic sound for CinemaScope presentations. Slate Skouras-Reade Meet On Sound Test This Week Preliminary meetings to form an all-industry committee to, conduct the stereophonic and non-stereophonic CinemaScope sound tests will get underway here this week, with initial conferences slated between Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox, and Walter Reade, president of Theatre Owners of America and head of the circuit bearing his name. The composition of the committee also may include "representatives of the public," it was learned, which could bring the total number of members to be named up to 35, it was added. In addition to 20th-Fox and TOA, the other segments of the industry which will be represented include other CinemaScope producing companies and equipment manufacturing companies. The function of the committee will {Continued on page 3) RKO Is Distributing 1st USIA Film Here WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.— RKO Radio has begun distribution of the first United States Information Agency motion picture to be shown in this country.. The two-reel picture, "Magic Streetcar," was produced in Germany by the agency's Motion Picture Service. According to A. W. Smith, director of the service, it shows a detailed comparison between life in East Ger{Continued on page 3) RCA Stereo Sound Set Orders Grow CAMDEN, N. J., Jan. 24.— One hundred additional installations of RCA stereoscope sound systems are scheduled, it was disclosed here by A. J. Piatt, manager of RCA theatre equipment sales. The additional 100, it was added, maintains the already high installation rate established by the RCA Service Co. The theatres slated to install stereo sound are located in virtually every state of the union, it was disclosed.