Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1955)

uesday. November 15. 1955 Motion Picture Daily 5 Arthur Lockwood Contends Dues in COMPO Already Have Paid Big Dividends Special to THE DAILY BOSTON, Nov. 14.— The small investment in the Council of Motion Picture Organizations ahead)" has paid big dividends, Arthur Lockwood, who was president of Theatre Owners of America when COMPO was founded, said here t o da y. L o c k w o o d, t r e a s u rer of Lockwood 6c Gordon Enterprises, made this observation while commenting on Allied States Association's withdrawal from COMPO. In regard to Alhed's position, Lockwood said: "COMPO was created and supported bv all elements in die motion picture industry. It is natural— and healthy— that differences of opinion over policy should develop from time to time. "Speaking only as an individual— and an exhibitor— it is very difficult for me to understand why any theatre owner or association of theatre own Arthur Lockwood ers should withdraw support from COMPO at this particular time. "If we discount entirely COMPO's great achievement in public relations, including its Audience Awards poll, it still must be admitted that COMPO functioned efficiently and successfully in the tax fight. Everyone's small investment in COMPO has already paid big dividends. Several of our theatres would now be closed if not for the tax relief afforded. "The tax fight is only half won. My personal opinion is that we have a mighty good chance for complete rehef from all admission taxes in 1956. As a matter of fact, I heard Congressman Joe Martin say just that at the New England Allied meeting. "Our theatres have paid their current dues to COMPO. It is the only organization qualified by experience and results to follow the tax repeal fight through to a successful conclusion. With receipts still falling, complete elimination of taxes is a must." i PEOPLE Mrs. Arthur F. Brown of Winnipeg is been named to the board of gov-nors of the National Film Board of anada. Dr. Leon Lortie, Montreal, id H. L. Roper, Halifax, have been -appointed for their second three: ;ar terms. -; P a Betty Cramer has been added to le staff of Interstate Theatre Supply !o. in Portland, Ore., as secretary to le manager, j n Sidney Brenner has been appointed ouse manager of the Art Theatre in ; lartford. 'i: a ii ' George Lynn has joined Cellomatic c ^orp. as an account executive. Cel■ amatic is a live animation technique sed in television and sales presenta ions. " 0 E Tom Rook, creative director of •Tlmack Studios' production staff, has -:>een appointed TV sales representa] ive of the Chicago studio. ii n Oscar F. Neu has been elected president emeritus and honorary joard member for life of the Theatre Equipment and Supply Manufacturers Association. Neu was a founder, past •president and retiring honorary board nember. n Tom Stanton is the new assistant ?to Dean Matthews, manager of Evergreen's Fox Theatre in Portland. Ore. r n William Burnham, sales vice-president of Transfilm, was elected selectman in Weston, Conn. Ginger Rogers Film By Lubin for RKO HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 14. "The Traveling Saleslady," a corned}' drama starring Ginger Rogers, will be produced by Arthur Lubin Productions, Inc., for world-wide distribution by RKO, it was announced by Charles L. Glett, executive vice-president of BKO Studios. Filming in color by Technicolor and Superscope is scheduled to start the first week in January at RKO Studios. Arthur Lubin, who will produce and direct the picture from Stephen Longstreet's original screen play, moves to the RKO lot this week. Viizer's Father Dies Services for Joseph Nizer, father of Louis Nizer, industry attorney, were held here on Sunday. Nizer died at the weekend. Claims Formula for 'Distressed' Houses COLUMBUS, O., Nov. 14.-Owners of "distressed theatres" in Ohio are being asked to communicate with Robert Wile, secretary of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, and give him pertinent facts on their theatres' financial conditions. Wile said diat after consultation with Allied leaders he had a solution for such theatres. "We cannot solve clearance or competitive problems, only terms," Wile said. He asked for the following information: Grosses on every picture for the past 90 days, complete statement of house expenses, grosses and names of pictures for the same period last year and the terms on which those pictures were played. "The Emergency Defense Committee of Allied will work on this problem and should be able to get a formula for buying pictures which will enable you to live," he said. Snyder of Sterling Poster Co. Dies Services for Irving Snyder, president of Sterling Poster Co. were held at Riverside Memorial Chapel here yesterday. Snyder died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Sunday morning. His age was 52. Sterling Poster Co. furnished posters for practically every motion picture theatre on Broadway. Snyder was a member of Cinema Lodge of B'nai B'rith, and the Masons. Ease Censor Threat In Wilmington, O. WILMINGTON, O., Nov. 14.Threat of city censorship in Wilmington was eased by an opinion from Citv Solicitor Frederick J. Buckley that the city council does not have the power to censor films. Buckley told the council that even though the Ohio state censorship law was inoperative, it was a bar to municipal censorship. Buckley also said the U. S. Supreme Court had said, in effect, that censorship was unconstitutional. Charles Kohler, council president, said that H. W. Reisinger, manager of the Murphy and Wilmington Drive-ins, botii owned by the Chakeres circuit, had promised not to show objectionable pictures. Kohler told Rev. Benjamin V. Smith, president of the Wilmington Ministerial Association, there was nothing the city fathers could do "but we are assured shows will be better from now on." Rev. Smith replied, "That sounds fine to me." Catholic Actors to Stage Benefit Friday The annual dance and entertainment of the Catholic Actors Guild will be held Friday, Nov. 18 at the Sheraton Astor Roof here. Proceeds are for the Guild's welfare fund, which provides for the ill, needy and unfortunate of the profession. Phil Romano and his two orchestras will pro\ide the music. Companies Ask High Court to Disqualify Trust Case Attorney From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Nov. 14. The major distributors today urged the Supreme Court to disqualify an attorney from representing plaintiffs in two anti-trust suits. The distributors asked the Court to reverse a Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruling permitting Arnold Malkan and his firm of Malkan and Ellner from representing the Austin Theatre. At the same time, the distributors urged the high court to uphold a Second Circuit Court ruling disqualifying Malkan and his firm from representing Laskey Brothers of West Virginia. Confidences the Issue Malkan once was associated with the firm of Malkan and Isacson, and Isacson had represented major distributors in confidential matters. Malkan later dissolved his association with Isacson and set up die new firm of Malkan and Ellner. The distributors asked that the new firm be disqualified, arguing that Isacson had had confidential information about the distributors through his previous representation of them, and that this should bar not only Isacson but also Malkan, even though the latter was no longer associated with the former. The circuit court ruled that Malkan should be disqualified from representing Laskey because Malkan and Isacson had represented Laskey at one time, but that he should not be disqualified from representing the Austin Theatre because he was not employed by the Austin until two months after the Isacson partnership was dissolved. Say It Was Used as 'Bait' In appealing to the high court to disqualify Malkan in both cases, the distributors claimed the partnership of Isacson and Malkan used the confidential information about the distributors obtained by Isacson "as bait in soliciting theatres to bring treble damage actions" against the distributors. In another appeal filed with the high court today, Charles Lawlor and Mitchell Pantzer, doing business as the Independent Poster Exchange, asked that National Screen Service be forced to pay certain court costs in connection with the Lawlor-Pantzer anti-trust suit against National Screen. Jurisdiction Held Lost The high court last term reversed a Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruling and gave the partners the right to sue National Screen. It sent the case back to the District Court for further proceedings. The partners asked the Circuit Court to require National Screen to pay the costs of the Circuit Court proceedings, but the court said it had lost jurisdiction of the matter by the high court's decision to send the case back to the District Court. ■