Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1948)

Sullivan Decries Costly Litigation In Louisville The challenge to the industry of television, censorship, the decline of the foreign market, high production costs, and the costly litigation that is making the industry a lawyers' "paradise" were discussed by Gael Sullivan, executive director of the Theatre Owners of America, in a speech before the convention of the Kentucky Association of Theatre Owners at the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville last week. Decrying the "bad press" the industry has been receiving lately, Mr. Sullivan emphasized that a positive and aggressive, not merely defensive, public relations policy is needed. "There is always a good audience for a good show," he said. The two-day session was presided over by Guthrie Crowe, president. Arthur DeBra of the Motion Picture Association of America summarized two recent successful fights against state censorship. He called for advance preparation against new attempts at such laws. Leon J. Bamberger, head of RKO's exhibitor relations department, depicted the production-exhibition relationship in terms of production costs and exhibitor salesmanship. M. L. Simons of MGM spoke on public relations. Louisville's Mayor Charles Farnsley complimented the industry for the excellent job it was doing in providing the public with entertainment. Other speakers included: Henry Stites, KATO general counsel, who discussed clearance problems ; Ted R. Gamble, TOA board chairman, who presented his organization's program and activities on public relations, Ascap and Youth Month, and Neil Dalton, public relations director of the Louisville CourierJournal and Times, chairman of the Kentucky National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, who spoke in behalf of the March of Dimes drive. Coast Group Lauds Poole Following Resignation At the annual convention of the Independent Theatre Owners of Southern California and Arizona in Los Angeles last Wednesday the following board members were elected : E. D. Patterson, Leroy A. Pawley, C. T. Perrin, George Diamos, Charles Minor, J. van Gilse, W. L. Allen, Ray Pierson, A. Anderson and Leo Fenton. The board elected Mr. Pawley president, Mr. Minor and Mr. Diamos, vice-presidents, and Mr. Perrin, secretary-treasurer. Following the announcement of Robert H. Poole's resignation, effective December 1, from the ITOSCA and the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners, the ITO members passed a resolution in which they praised Mr. Poole for his work during the past 14 years and accepted his resignation from the organization with regret. IN NEWSREELS MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 31, No. 87— King and Queen open Parliament. . . ■ French coal strike. . . . Armed forces in combined operations. . . . Coal-mining machine. . . . Sweepstake winners. . . . Sweater fashions. . . . Football. . . . Roller Skating derby. MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. SI, No. 88— First group of DP's to arrive in New York. . . . Mysterious smog brings deaths in town. . . . UN plan to lift Berlin blockade vetoed by Russia. . . . Henry Morgenthau returns from tour of Israel. . . . Tight rope walker in breath-taking act. . . . Citation takes $10,000 Pimlico special. . . . Notre Dame wins 24 straight football games. . . . Over 90,000 see California beat Southern California. NEWS OF THE, DAY— Vol. 20, No. 217— Armed forces in maneuvers. . . . French troops seize mines. . . King opens Parliament. . . . Strange case of Use Koch. . . . New wave length for the Waves. .... Sky mystery solved. . . . Battleship Missouri here. . . . Sweep winners. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. 20, No. 218— U. S. welcomes first shipload of DP's. . . . Morgenthau reports on trip to Palestine. . . . Champion daredevils perform over Alps. . . . Notre Dame vs. Navy. . . . California tops U.S.C. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 20— French labor crisis: mine strike. . . . Troubled China celebrates Independence Day. . . . Navy goes overboard for new look. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 21— Marine Corps anniverversary. . . . First DP's arrive in New York. . . . Morgenthau reports on Palestine trip. . . . Football. UNIVERSAL NEWS— No. 191— French coal strike. . . . Mining machinery. . . . Miss America tours country for "You Gotta Stay Happy." . . . Connie Mack celebrates birthday. . . . Ilse Koch story. . . . Flying laboratory. . . . Football. Universal News — No. 192 — DP's welcomed. . . . Marine Corps celebrates anniversary. . . . Wire walker. WARNER PATHE NEWS— No. 22-Armed forces in combined operations. . . . People in the news: Mrs. Roosevelt. Kings and Queens of Denmark and England. . . . Paul Hoffman in Italy. . . . Troops and miners battle in France. WARNER PATHE NEWS— No. 23— Mystery smog kills 20. . . . Morgenthau in Palestine. . . . First DP's arrive in U. S. . . . Exclusive report from German Ruhr. . . . Charm school turns out grads. . . . New harvest by helicopter. . . . Life on rope— half mile up. . . . Football. Television Unit Now Takes 50 Square Feet Richard Hodgson, chief engineer for Paramount television in New York, told the recent meeting of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers in Washington that experiments with the Paramount intermediate unit had shown the whole unit could be compressed to stay within 50 square feet. At present the machine takes up about 200 square feet. Mr. Hodgson also said the eventual processing time could be cut to only about 10 seconds, which would mean that the telecast image could be shown on the screen within 15 to 20 seconds after appearing on the face of the television tube. The speed depends on how far the film has to travel to reach the projector. Paramount experiments so far have shown a 60-second interval between photographing and projection. Roach, Dudley and Vallee Head Television Group Hal Roach, Jr., has been elected president ; Carl Dudley, vice-president ; Rudy Vallee, secretary, and Roland Reed, treasurer, of the recently formed Television Film Producers Association in Hollywood. An organizational meeting here last week elected a nine-member board which, in turn, elected the officers. Rank Trying Out Video Camera in Film Producing Experiments looking to the use of television cameras in conventional film production are going on in England, and J. Arthur Rank plans to spend $4,000,000 or more on the project, it was learned this week. It was understood further that Paramount Pictures also is interested in the time-saving aspects of the method and is watching developments closely. The idea of using television cameras on a motion picture set and to cut and edit the film according to a pattern worked out for cutting and editing television programs — which involves the switching from image to image and the eventual choice of the best-quality picture — has long been worked on in France by the Institute des Hautes Etudes de Cinematographic A representative of that Institute now is in the United States looking for suitable motion picture camera equipment, capable of synchronizing the French television image with conventional 24-frame film apparatus. The Rank Organization is said to be using a special French-produced camera using an Eriscope tube which is said to need more light than the Image Orthicon, but less than an ordinary television camera would require. Sir Robert Watson Watt, famed for his war-work with radar, is one of Mr. Rank's principal advisors, it is said. The Rank technicians are experimenting with an 800line picture, but it is generally believed that, in order to obtain true quality, the lines would have to be increased to 1,000. Ordinary British television today operates on 405 lines. The Americans use a 525-line system. Paramount is understood to be seeking ways to increase that line count for its theatre television system to improve definition. Mr. Rank, it is understood, considers the successful use of television cameras for film production a considerable time saver since cutting and editing would be done electronically. Sound would be handled through a single system. British theatre television meanwhile made headway last week when the British Broadcasting Corporation and the British industry agreed to exchange programs for films. This problem long has been the obstacle standing in the way of British theatre television. Experimental television shows in selected London theatres are expected to go on in from two to three weeks. They will, at the outset, consist of BBC programs and special Rank films. Plan Nebraska Drive -In The first drive-in theatre in the region will be erected near Grand Island, Neb., by William Youngclaus and Mrs. Madeline Kaufman in association with Tri-States Theatre Corporation. The 500-car operation is expected to be ready next spring. 32 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 6, 1948