Variety (December 1950)

We(lneBday» December 13, 1950 0. S. Film Future In England Much Better, Sez Gaumont’s Kent American film industry can look forward to a much better position in llie British market, according to Lawrence Kent. 20th-Fox rep on the Gaumont British circuit board. Arriving in Ne>y York last week on the America, he declared that Britain’s dollar position has mate- riallv improved and if general eco- nomic conditions hold up. Holly- wood should be able to secure remit lances in excess of the $17,- 000 000 as specified in the current onc-year Anglo - American film Hirremnent. However, the exec cautioned that the outlook is only brigid “provided something dras- tic” doesn't happen. Tlicalre business, Kent observed, is ahead of last year’s, principally due to the improved quality of both lU'itish and American prod- ncl, Favorable weather has also been a factor in upped grosses. He pointed out that television is no problem for British exhibitors for the country has but two stations and llie sets in the hands of the public are relatively few. Kent discounted recent trade re- ports that the British film industry is facing nationalization. He re- flected that these rumors occur from time to time but nothing ever actually develops. In Britain since the first postwar years, the film topper is recovering from a back Injury. He goes to the Coast Dec. IB and plans to stay in the U. S. about 10 weeks. . Theatre TV Preem In Canada on Fuzzy Side Toronto, Dec. 12. First theatrical production of tel- evision in Canada teed off at the Imperial, 3,373-seater flagship of Famous Players (Canadian), with Norllt American premiere here of “Odette,” plus personal appearance of Anna Neagle, star of film, and Herbert Wilcox, its producer. On a 21-by-17-foot screen, this depicted the lobby reception of Mi.ss Neagle and Wilcox, together with interviews conducted by Bert Brown, FPC flack, and film crix of Toronto dailies. Screen reception was a bit fuzzy but, according to Wilcox, better than TV theatrical reception in Britain. Marked an- other distinction for Tom Daley, manager of the FPC flagship. Over 20 years ago he inked - the first sound film to be shown in Canada. Civil Service Tests An information specialist exami- nalion to fill positions in the inter- national information program (Voice of America, films, press, etc.) will be held in New York and Washington, it was disclosed yes- terday iTucs.) by the Board* of U.S. (Tivil Service Examiners of the Slate Dept. ^Salaries range, from $3,823 through $6,400 per year. Posts to be filled include those of radio dramatic writers, motion picture recording directors, radio and television program producers, film editors and kindred jdbs. These berths, according to the board, call for a “sound knowledge of current International affairs." Applicants should write or visit the board at 250 West 57th street, N.Y. Theatre TV » Continued from page 7 r ' ask for the current frequencias now. “If not, they will be gobbled by other industries," he pointed out. Rembusch said Allied has em- f) legal counsel to apply to iiie FCC for permission to appear H theatre hearing in the spring of 1951. 7 he Gulf States convention Closed Wednesday (6) with a ban- quet. Officers were elected in the oay s afternoon session. They are: . ^^eorge of Shreveport, La., me.sident; Abe Berenson of Gretna, vice-president; Harold Bailey, ew Orleans, secretary, and F. G. Vacherie, La., treasurer. Oil City, La., was ected chairman of the board of Five directors elected to toe-year terms were Berenson, 1 * C. Montgomery, New' Or- ' os; Claude Darcie, Morgan City, . and Kenneth Glddens, Mobile, CAL. EX-EXHIB HAS SOME IDEAS ON SHOWMANSHIP Santa Mateo, Cal, Editor, Variety: You must receive hundreds of letters each week on the subject, “What is wrong with show busi- ness?" So get prepared for another. Being what E. V. Durling would call a “young oldtimer," remem- bering a Mary Pickford pic I saw at the “Hik" in Fresno in the early 20s, I still have an' autographed photo of “Horse” Heidt from the Grand Lake (Oakland) days, Fred Thomson westerns playing first-run at the American (Oakland) and a headful of memories that TV will never erase. I have come to the conclusion that the one thing miss- ing is real showmanship. For years the people have been presented with nice youiig men standing in the lobby who write a good hand, get the reports in on time, practice bowing three times each morning toward the main office, but never learning to say “no!" or saying “my customers w'ould like to see something differ- ent!". There must be something wrong. “The fish stinks first' from the head” is a saying A1 Finke of Portland, Ore., repeated to me many times when something went wrong in one of the houses I man- aged for him. Let the leaders of the industry get out of their corrals of “yes" men and take one square block in any townTn the good old U. S. A. house-to-house, door-to- door, that is where the bucks are, that is where the hibernating audi- ences are. There isn't much sense in asking $100,000-a-year men what is wrong with the business; they are putting lots of hours at their own trade, but the stock clerks, salesgirls and housewives are the ones who live in the big never- never land that wants, needs and craves entertainment. Let’s face it: show business must change to come up with the times or join the passing parade. The audiences haven’t stood still; should the theatreowners and operators? At the moment I am not active in the business, but have kept track through Variety. When the owners feel they wish to become associated with men who love, enjoy and want to help the business I will ask for a job (and so will hundreds of others). Until then they will just have to fight it out with the bankers, and those fellows are not kidding! Usko Eisenman P. S. This “old mossback" is 31 years old. Polio Drive May Revive Hat-Passing in Theatres Indicating a possible resurgence of audience collections in theatres, the National Foundation for Infan- tile Paralysis this month will ship 18,000 four-minute trailers to thea- tres throughout the U. S. for its March of Dimes campaign. Founda- tion hopes to achieve 100% cover- age in theatre collections, which dipped to $1,000,000 last year from the $6,000,000 obtained in 1945. Trailer, produced this year by Metro and featuring Robert Young, his four daughters and an 8-week- old polio baby, Is titled “An Im- portant Day.’’ It’s to be distributed by National Screen Service. Pre- ceding shipment of the trailers, Gene Custer, Charleston, W. Va., exhibitor, will write individual letters to all exhibs pointing out how theatre collections can be box- office insurance, since polio epi- demics have invariably forced the- atres to shutter. According to the Foundation, the biggest defection in audience col- lections has come from the major circuits. Small town and rural ex- hibs, it said, -have continued their plate-passing as part of their “com- munity service" functions. Legion Nixes ‘Sinners^ “The Sinners," French-made film which opened at the 55th St. Play- house, N. Y., last week, has been placed in the “condemned" cate- gory by the National Legion of Decency. The Julien Duyivier- written and directed picture, ac- edrding to the Legion, “glorifies illicit actions and contains material morally unsuitable for entertain- ment motion picture audiences." Lopert Films is releasing in the U. S. Three other pictures were handed a Class “B" rating. They in- clude “Kansas Raiders" (U-I), “Platinum Blonde" (Col reissue) and “Taming of Dorothy"-(ELC). PICTURES 17 Author-Comedian Tokyo’s New Variety Club B^iins Functioning; Other Tents Name Execs Sam Levenson reflects on Humor and Prejudice (The Wholesome Influence of the Quip on Bigots) * ♦ e one of the many byline features in the upcoming 45th Anniversary Number of P^SSRIETY 4 TV COMMERCIALS SET BY PARAMOUNT Following through on its re- cently adopted policy of providing television trailers for its product, Paramount has packaged four TV commercials for each of five new pix. Two 20-Second spots and two one-minute clips are being made available for “Union Station,” “Tripoli," “Let’s Dance" “The Goldbergs” and “Mr, Music." Singing announcements by a girl trio are used in the “Dance" video copy. Gertrude Berg ap- pears in the commercials for “The Goldbergs," while the others are said to be likewise different from regular theatre trailers. Kbgs Dicker on 'Drums’ As AA Deal Falls Thru Hollywood, Dec. 12. King Bros, are dickering with several majors for release of re- cently completed Cinecolor indie, “Drums of Deep South." Maury King reported Allied Artists, which had been expected to handle, won’t get film because it didn’t come up to expected figure. \Film was an- nounced by Steve Broidy, Mono- gram prez. Sept. 5 as included on AA’s releasing slate of six. New releasing deal is expected to be finalized this week. Pic is initialer for newly formed King Bros, production of which Frank and Maury King, plus Herb Nussbaum were elected to board at first annual stockholders meet- ing over weekend. Officers are Frank King, prexy; Maury King, exec" veepee; Herman King, sales veepee; Arthur J. Steele of N. Y., Lionel Sternberger of Los Angeles, Joseph Cohen of Frisco, vepees; N u s b a u m , secretary-treasurer; Clarice P. Weeks, assistant secre- tary. Wallerstein Named B&K V.P.-Genl Mgr. Chicago, Dec. 12. David B, Wallerstein has been named v.p. and general manager of Balaban & Katz, succeeding the late Walter R. Immerman. Wallerstein joined the theatre chain in 1926. Since 1947 he has been v.p. of B&K’s subsid Great States chain, and has been divi- sion manager of central and south- ern Illinois and Indiana. He will retain supervision of Great States. *Snow Wine^ Due Soon With his Ray Milland starrer, “White Heather," recently complet- ed in Britain, producer David Rose also has another British-made film coming up for release soon. Picture is “Snow Wine," which he financed. Charles Vidor produced and direct- ed; Edward G. Robinson stars. Based upon an original by Hugo Butler and Ian McLellan Hunter, “Wine" was made in England last spring. Harry Kurnitz screen- played. ^"^Start Singing^ Mugg^^ By Allen Rivkin % if ft if an amufitng byline piece In the upcoming 45th Anniversary Number of P^HIETY » t ^ « * k Tokyo. Tokyo .Variety Club, recontly or- ganized here with three former Variety Clubbers from U. S. as charter members, got off to a good start with its first charity benefit. Initial show was staged in the Tokyo Industrial Club and netted more than 300,000 yen ($800) for Japanese Red Cross Babies’ Home. Club is not yet focmally or- ganized but is negotiating with Variety International for recogni- tion. Group expects to make of- ficial application soon for affilia- tion. Acting Chief Barker is Leuwis $ush, Tokyo rep of British Commonwealth Film Corp., Ltd. Former Variety members from America are Lynn Cowan, Los An- geles; Norman Thomson, Philadel- phia, and Lawrence Ade, Washing- ton. Tokyo club includes both Japanese and Allied members. Latter are in the majority now but plan is to make organization pri- marily Japanese eventually. Bene- fit performance featured both U. S. and Nipponese talent. London Variety Picks Canvasmen London. The Variety Club of Great Brit- ain (Tent 36) has elected 11 new canvasmen to serve next year. The crew will be meeting within a fortnight to elect officers. At the request of C. J. Latta, the com- mittee has been widened to give it a greater Anglo-American flavor. Of the 22 nominated, the following were elected: C. J. Latta, Tom O’Brien, M.P.; Lou Wilson, Harry Green, Jack Hylton, W. J. Kupper, Jack Goodlatte, Charles L. Tuck- er, Max Thorpe, Sid Hyams and James E. Perkins. Herman Levy New Conn. Barker New Haven. Herman M. Levy, general coun- sel for Theatre Owners of Amer- ica, named Chief Barker for Vari- ety Club of Connecticut, Tent No. 31; replaces Ray Wylie. Other of- ficers elected are Ben Simons, first assistant barker; George H. Wil- kinson, Jr., second assistant bark- er; Henry Germaine, property mas- ter, and Sam Germaine, dough guy. Leo Rosen Albany Barker Albany. Leo Rosen, managing director of the Fabian Mohawk and Saratoga drive-ins, elected chief barker of the Albany Variety Club at a meet- ing of the new cre^. Rosen, ;one- time vaudeville pianist and night- club band leader, managed Warner theatres in Troy ‘ and Albany for years before entering the ozoner field. Other ’ officers for 1951 named are: first assistant chief barker, Charles Dortic; second as- sistant chief barker, Harold Gabri- love; property master, Nate Dick- man, and dough guy, Nate Winig. Meinhardi Heads St. Loo Tent St. Louis. John Meinhardi, district manager here for Fox Midwest circuit, elected barker of St. Louis Variety Club, Tent No. 4. Succeeds Joe Ansell. Other new officers are: first assistant barker. Herb - Ben- nin; second assistant barker, How- ard Zulauf; dough guy, Louis K. Ansell, and property master, Rich- ard Fitzmaurice. Hall Baetz Tops Denver Tent Denver., Hall Baetz, Denver city district manager for Fox Inter-Mountain Theatres, was elected chief barker of Variety Tent 37. Others named were Wm. Hastings, first assistant barker; Duke Dunbar, second as- sistant barker; Ralph Batschelet, property master; Harry Green, dough guy. Murray Whiteman Buff. Barker Buffalo. Murray Whiteman elected Chief Barker of the Variety Tent 7 at the annual election. ()ther officers named are John G. Chinell, first assistant chief barker; James H. Eshelman, second assistant; Rich- ard D. Walsh, secretary; Robert C. Hayman, treasurer. Schwartz Picked by Cincy Again Cincinnati. Vance Schwartz remains as chief barker of Tent 3, Variety Club, for a second term. Elected to serve with him are Jack Finberg and Mel Martin, assistant chief bark- ers: Gaul Greenberg, secretary; and William Onie, treasurer. Anderson Again Heads NW Tent i Minneapolis. I nearly $500,000 for the University of Minnesota Heart Hospital proj- ect. Other officers named were Ben Blotcky and Bennie Berger as first and second assistant Chief Barkers; Tom Burke, secretary; and John Branton, treasurer. Frisco ‘Trio’ Sponsorship San Francisco, Dec. 12. Variety Club in this city will sponsor the local premiere of Paramount’s “Trio" at the Vogue theatre on Jan. 10, with proceeds going to the National Foundation for the Blind. Film, which has entered its ninth week at the Sutton, N. Y., has been booked to play the Vogue for a minimum of 12 weeks. Pinanski Hub’s Chief Barker Boston^ New England Variety Club, Tent No. 23, elected the following officers for next term: Samuel Pinanski, chief barker; Max Levenson, first assistant; Arthur Lockwood, second assistant; James Marshall, property master; Louis Richmond, dough guy. Oboler’s ‘Five’ Isl Post-Atom-Age Pic Hollywood, Dec. 12. , Arch Oboler has completed his indie picture, “Five," a tale of the post-atomic era, and is taking it to New York for a releasing deal. Film depicts a new world after civilization has been wiped out with- the exception of four males and one femme, a situation fraught with all sorts of dramatic possibili- ties. Entire picture was ma^e for $72,- 000 subscribed by Oboler and 30 of his friends. It was shot on Obo- ler’s ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains, with Oboler function- ing as writer, director and pro- ducer. Cast consists of Susan Douglas, Charles Lampkin, Earl Lee, James Anderson and William Phipps, all newcomers. Mono’s Lind Back From European TV Study Lloyd Lind, Monogram Pictures’ exchange supervisor, returned to New York last week on the America after three weeks in Britain to study new developments in tele- vision there. He said the check was made merely to keep the company informed as to new technical ad- vances in video. Exec will report .his findings the end of the month to prexy Steve Broidy. Among others who arrived on the same ship were Mrs. Clive* Brook, wife of the actor, and Buster Crabbe. Latter had been abroad for seven months with his “Aqua Parade" unit. After a short stay in N. Y., he launches a South Amer- ican tour in January. Initial stop will be in Rio de Janeiro Jan. 15. Crabbe said he has no plans for re- entering films, preferring to con- centrate upon his water spectacle. Hallmark’s Meet Chicago, Dec. 12. More than 500 Hallmark em- ployees from all parts of the U. S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South America and. Europe are scheduled to attend the company’s 1950 worldwide convention to be held here at the Stevens hotel, Dec. 16-21. Conclave will bfe the sixth gathering since the firm was founded in 1944 in Wilmington, O. Prexy Kroger Babb has named Murphy McHenry, public relations director in Hollywood, as general chairman of the convention. Jack Thomas, Hallmark veepee-general manager, will preside at business I sessions, while national sales man- ager Hank Adams will head up meetings of zone managers. RKO^s Toronto Meet Toronto, Dec. 12. RKO lineup of 32 features for release in 1951 was detailed by sales chief Robert Mochrie at a meeting of the major’s Canadian distribution managers yesterday (11) at the King Edward hotel, Toronto. Session, in effect, was a re- enactment of the N. Y. meeting of last week, when announcement of Northwest Variety Club direc- rs here reelected A. W. Ander- fho. hnc rflispd I RKO prexy Ned E. Depinet.