Variety (December 1954)

Wednesday* December 8* 1954 PICTURES INDIE CIRCUIiS SIGN DC A Admish Tax Cut Kicked in Of Industry’s 1954 ‘Prosperity’, Sindlinger Informs Exhibitors Oklahoma City, Dec. 7. The 10% cut in the Federal film ticket tax, not the “fewer but bet- ter pictures policy," made more money for the industry in 1954, a business analyst told Theatre Own- ers of Oklahoma convention here. Albert E. Sindlinger, president of his own consultancy at Ridley Park, Pa., said the good fortunes of the flickers pointed out by pro- ducers are not based upon attend- ance they are based on dollars. He said production is receiving $ 72 , 000,000 more this year and the- atres’ take is up $126,000,000—a total of $198,000,000. But the cut of the federal ticket tax from 20 to 10% meant “Unjle Sam gave up $1 14 . 000 , 000 —better than 60%." Sindlinger quoted Samuel Gold- wyn's arguments supporting “qual- ity instead of quantity in enter- tainment” to outline what produc- ers “actually believe.” He added: “Important Hollywood personali- ties actually believe that today’s so-called good fortunes actually have come about because* of fewer but more important pictures.” But . . . “You and I know what the good fortunes they are talking about have not come to you yet.. Your attendance with fewer and better pictures is behind last year.” Average attendance is increas- ing, Sindlinger said, as are admis- sion prices. The average person now spends $8.91 a year at the pix boxoffice instead of last year’s $8.52. ' Knock Out 1913 Ohio Censorship Columbus, Dec. 7. Ohio’s 41-year-old film censor- ship law was'knocked deader than a doornail by a 5-2 vote of the State Supreme Court last Wednes- day (1). But film censorship itself is not a dead issue, since it is ap- parent strong moves will be made in the next Legislature to write a court-proof film scissoring statute. The Supreme Court declared the 1913 law “unreasonable and unlaw- ful.” It would have been declared unconstitutional if there had been one more vote against it, six # votes being required for the Ohio Su- preme Court to declare any law unconstitutional. The effect is, however, the same and even C. William O’Neill, Ohio’s attorney general, advised it would be use- less to appeal the Ohio decision to the U S. Supreme Court. • Fan Mag’s Share Hollywood, Dec. 7. Prosperity in the motion pic- ture industry means prosperity in the fan mag business, pub- lisher George Delacorte, Jr., told the Studio Publicity Direc- tors Committee at a luncheon here. “When people are interested in movies,” he said, “they buy- movie magazines. Our movie magazine sales are up approxi- mately 15% over this time last year.” Boxoffice Stars Hard to Sign In Europe, Too E STOCK UDINE The operators of 35 independent circuits have bought up Distributor Corp. of America’s entire $1,000,- 000 stock issue, Fred J. Schwartz, president, disclosed in N. Y. this week. He provided a full list, showing the investors to be many of the key theatremen of the country. Excluded are those aligned with the five major chains who are under court restraint from investing in production. The exhib participants own a total of 1,005 theatres seating over 1,000,000, Schwartz underlined. The offering subscribed was 10,- 000 shares of cumulative preferred stock at a par value of $100 per share. Minimum investment was $5,000. " The preferred stock issue was accompanied by a common stock allocation as well, the common i also amounting to 10,000 shares. • Of these, 6 000 w ere given to the preferred stock buyers in a five to thre ratio, that is, 30 shares of common for every 50 shares of pre- ferred. The balance of 4,000 common shares were divided among Cen- tury Theatres, which is headed by Schwartz, and Charles Boasberg American Film Comeback Induces Envy in Foreign Industries, Hence A New Outpour of Sour Taxes La Gish Returns Hollywood, Dec. 7. It was “long time no see” when Lillian Gish checked in at Metro to get ready for her role in “Cobweb.” In fact, it was 26 years since her last ap- pearance on the Culver City lot where she once reigned as a top star. Her last picture there was “The Wind.” By WHITNEY WILLIAMS Hollywood, Dec. 7. The current bottleneck of star availabilities isn’t confined to Hol- lywood but is international in scope, according to director Robert W r ise,*who last week returned from a yeaf^s stay in Italy where he filmed Warners’ “Helen of Troy.” While production companies here are delaying starting sched- ules, shelving pictures and confin- ing their release schedules because of the shortage of “name” players, Wise reports that the same condi- tion prevails in Europe and the problem there is almost as acute. American producers who use the platitude, “Let’s hire a French or Italian or EngFsh star,” director says, have a surprise coming to them when they sound out the possibilities of acquiring important Continental players. Current rages in Europe are for the most part booked up for many months to come. Among these are such names as Gina Lollobrigida Rossana Podesta, Dany Robin, Fernandel, Oskar Werner, and the British stars Ralph Richardson, Laurence Olivier, John Mills, Derek Bogarde, Margaret Lock- wood. “One American producer who attempted to sign the English actor, Jack Hawkins, for a picture, (Continued on page 17) Zanuck Reveals Possible C’Scope Camera Change Work on a new form of Cinema- Scope, described as an “extremely and Irving Wormser. Latter two I * S b< \‘. n8 omi are DCA’s top sales execs and re- i rie( l °n at the 20th-I‘ox studio, *-0th ceived the stock participation as production topper Darryl F. Zan- an employment incentive. Cen tury’s stock block was in acknow- (Continued on page 20) Sidney Franklin Resumes Old Status As Director Hollywood, Dec. 7. After 10 years as one of Holly- wood’s top producers, Sidney Franklin is returning to his old job as director, with Metro’s high- budget remake of “Ben Hur” as his next assignment. Recently Franklin has been on a long leave of absence for rest and recreation but returns this week for conferences with Sam Zimbalist who will produce the picture. “Ben Hur,” like the silent version, will be filmed largely in Rome. Cod* Administrator Geoffrey M. Shurlock (V.P. Mot on Picture Att'n of America) reiterates The Values of the ‘ Breen ’ Principle * * * one of the many editorial features in the upcoming 49th Anniversary Number of PSkIeTy out soon uck disclosed in N. Y. last week. He stressed that, whatever the new technique, which involves changes at the camera, it would not affect the current method of projection C’Scope and would re- tain the 35m frame of the print going to the theatres. Zanuck said the new development, still in the experimental stages, would be un- veiled in 1955 and would prove “a great asset to Cinemascope.” The 20th studio head said he Pride and common sense are waging a see-saw battle in the minds of industry execs these days as they beam over the improved grosses of the past couple of months. While, on one hand, they’d like to shout Hollywood’s “comeback” from the rooftops, on the other they’re conscious of the reaction, both foreign and domes- tic. Abroad, the economic success of the industry is a matter of much envy, particularly since very few of the foreign industries manage to make their own markets cover the cost of local productions. Their execs, therefore, tend to pick up and exaggerate an oft-sounded note: That the American industry is doing well because it drains such a large quantity of dollars from its overseas markets. They therefore take careful not« of statements such as the one by trie Johnston two months ago on the Coast, that the industry’s ratio of foreign to domestic income rises (Continued on page 20) Allied Alibis Its Pow-In-Kisser Minneapolis, Dec. 7. Hitting out, apparently, at cer- tain local and other important ex- hibitors who have been deploring its “belligerency” and taking steps to effect the formation of a rival , , , . , , . Theatre Owners of America unit, knew' of no plans to make a P |C *, North Central Allied in its current ture on <0m widegauge film. Pnoi fo u iietin throws down the gauntlet to the advent of C Scope. 20th had j ( 0 jj s cr jtj cs and declares em- revived experiments with an old phatically it’ll continue to be “a system of widegauge filming, but | fighting outfit. that this had been dropped when C’Scope came along. In N. Y. this week, 20th engin- eers indicated that the idea of pre- senting a picture on wide film was by no means dead; that experi- ments w'ith it were continuing in (Continued on page 61) While barbs arc aimed mainly at exhibs who disagree with its war- ring on distributors, including the (Continued on page 63) National Boxoffice Survey Pre-Xmas Bops Trade; ‘Christmas’ No. 1 for 6th Time; ‘Desiree’ 2d, ‘Paris’ 3d, ‘Carmen’ 4th Schenck, Moskowitz West Hollywood, Dec. 7. Loew’s prexy Nicholas M. Schenck and v.p. and treasurer Charles C. Moskowitz are due here over the weekend from New York. 1 his is a periodic trip for the pair for screenings of new product and for talks with production chief Lore Schary on upcoming produc- tions. Schenck and Moskowitz were proceeded by pub-ad v.p. Howard Dietz and publicity manager Dan 3 ( 'rrell who arrived early this week to map promotion plans for tlie new productions. Frank McCarthy Displays Photostat of Dickering Letter Fromflemingway The row' continues over the ques- tion of whether Ernest Heming- way has committed himself to write and appear in a film to be produced by William Lowe and Frank McCarthy. As quoted in Variety last week, Alfred Rice, at- torney for Hemingway, stated there’s no such commitment. He added that a letter written to Lowe by Hemingway concerning a pic project had been “disaffirmed ’ by both Lowe and Hemingway. McCarthy, who’s a producer on the 20th-Fox lot, now takes his turn at bat. Ha otters a photo- static copy of the letter as purport- ing to show that Hemingway en- tered the agreement. It’s ad- dressed to Lowe, signed by Hem- ingway and refers to McCarthy in two instances. Lowe’s signature also is affixed to the document signifying his agreement with the text. The Hemingway letter states in part: “This is my agreement to participate in the production of a motion picture, which you and I have discussed here (meaning Cuba) during the past few days, provided that you can secure and (Continued on page 22) Early Xmas shopping in many key cities and usual letdown after a holiday week are taking a box- office toll this round. In addition, many keys had to contend with severe cold weather and snow. Most exhibitors are going along with their current product even when on overly extended longruns, awaitihg the arrival of better days later in DecMitor.J , i ji For the sikrh Vafnza In succes- sion, “White Christmas” (Par* is pacing the field and again by a healthy margin. Ih some cities, it is the only pic to be doing con- sistently strong trade. Showing again is almost 100% from hold- over engagements and extended- run dates. “Desiree” (20th) continues in second place, the same as in the previous two weeks. Third spot is going to “Last Time I Saw Paris” <M-G>. again making it the second time it has finished there. “Carmen Jones” (20th) con- tinues to climb, moving to fourth position as compared with sixth a week ago. “Cinerama” (Indie) again is fifth. “Phfff” (Col) is pushing up into sixth place. It was eighth last ses- sion. “Star Is Born” (WB) also is climbing to take seventh money. “Barefoot Contessa” (UA) is winding in eighth position while “Drum Beat” (WB) rounds out the Big Nine list currently. “Track of Cat” (WB), although very spotty and mostly disappointing, and “Sa- brina” (Par) are the two runner-up pix. Latter has finished most- of I its principal playdates in the big- ger key cities. Few' new pix naturally are being : launched at the present time. ! “They Rode West” (Col) proved i good on its preem in Providence. “This Is My Love” (RKO) ranges from so-so to light currently. ’^Trouble in Glen” (Rep), too, is 4>otty on two initial dates. “Reap Wild Wind” (Pari, out on reissue, is proving big in Chi. * “On Waterfront” (Col), only in three keys covered by Variety this session, is fine in N.Y., good in Balto and okay in Washington. “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday” (GBD) is rated brisk in Chi. “Rear Window” (Par), okay in Balto and good in Seattle, shapes fine in Washington. “Dragnet” (WB) looms solid in Montreal. “She-Wolf” (Rep), good in Seat- tle, shapes nicely in L A. “Sitting Bull” <UA> looks okay in N.Y. and Washington. “High and Dry” (U>, good in K.C., is oke in N.Y. and Frisco. “Karamoja” (Indie) shapes socko in Minneapolis. “4 Guns to Bord- er" <U> is okay in Frisco. “Crest of Wave” (M-G) looks slight in Philly. “Ugetsu” (Indie), good in Washi- ngton, is fine in Frisco. “Beau Brummell” (M-G) looms mild in Omaha and Portland. I Complete Boxoffice Reports on Pages 8-9) Trada Mark Registered FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN Published Weekly by VARIETY. INC Harold Erichs, President 134 West 46th St New York 36. N Y JUdson 2-2700 Hollywood 21 6311 Yucca Street Hollywood 9-1141 Washington 4 1292 National Press Building STerllng 3-5445 Chicago II 612 No Michigan Ave. DEIaware 7-4984 London WC2 8 St Martin's PI Trafalgar Sq. Temple Bar 5041 SUBSCRIPTION Annual $10 Foreign $11 Single Copies 25 Cents ABEL GREEN. Editor Vol. 197 No. 1 INDEX Bills 54 Chatter 62 Concert-Opera 60 Film Reviews 6 House Reviews 54 Inside Legit 56 Inside Radio-TV 34 International 12 Legitimate 55 Literati 61 Music 41 New Acts .- 49 Night Club Reviews 52 Obituaries 63 Pictures 3 Radio-Television 24 Radio Reviews 34 Record Reviews 42 Television Review s .... 30 TV-Films 39 Unit Review 54 Vaudeville 49 Wall Street 16 DAILY VARIETY (Published in Hollywood by Daily Variety, Ltd.) $15 a Year $20 Foreign