The Exhibitor (1951)

EXHIBITOR 11 THE SCORE BOARD (In this department will be found a rating of pictures screened by Warners, MGM, Paramount, RKO. and 20th Century-Fox under the decree. Complete reviews appear in The Pink Section. — Ed.) MGM “Inside Straight” — Interesting program meller. Children Admitted Free By F. And M. St. Louis — Fanchon and Marco-St. Louis Amusement Company last week extended to all of the 34 houses in the circuit a policy of admitting children 12 years of age and younger free of all charges pro¬ vided they are accompanied by parents. Fanchon and Marco started this policy on an experimental basis in the 5200-seat first-run deluxe Fox in June. Later the policy was extended to the first-run Am¬ bassador and Missouri. Another patronage-building innovation being put into effect by the Fanchon and Marco-St. Louis Amusement Company houses is the issuance of a special students’ pass that will admit a high school boy or girl to any of their theatres upon paying an admission fee equal to two-thirds of the regular rate for any particular house. NY Run System Changing New York— Brandt Theatres last week notified exchanges that it wants to bid for features available after first neighborhood run in the RKO and Loew’s Circuits, re¬ sulting in awarding three MGM produc¬ tions to Brandt’s Flatbush, Brooklyn, after it outbid the Century Circuit’s Albemarle. The features are “Kim”, “Pagan Love Song”, and “Dial 1119.” Brandt bidding now changes the distribution schedule in the area, a pattern whereby numerous neighborhood houses followed the Albe¬ marle runs. Columbia Profit Drops New York — Columbia last week issued a comparative estimated consolidated earnings statement for the 26 weeks ended Dec. 30, 1950, and the same period in 1949, showing an operating profit of $1,160,000 for 1950 as compared with $1,650,000. Esti¬ mated provision for federal taxes in 1950 was $500,000 as compared with $705,000 in 1949, making the net profit for the 26week period in 1950 $660,000 compared with $945,000 in 1949. This makes the earn¬ ings per share of common stcck 79 cents for 1950 as compared with $1.22 for 1949. Baltin Joins Columbia New York — Will Baltin executive secre¬ tary and treasurer, Television Broadcast¬ ers Association, last week resigned his post with that organization to join Screen Gems television department in an execu¬ tive capacity. He will produce and act as general sales manager for a series of films called “Disc Jockey TV Toons” especially made to synchronize with the playing of standard records, and intended to make possible disc jockey programs on TV stations. Eric A. Johnston To Speak At VC International Meeting PHILADELPHIA— Eric A. Johnston, MPAA head, recently appointed by Charles E. Wilson to the post of Direc¬ tor of Economic Stabilization, will be an honored guest at the banquet which will climax the International Conven¬ tion of Variety Clubs on May 9-12, it was announced last fortnight by Vic¬ tor H. Blanc, general chairman of the convention. At this banquet will also be made the presentation of the annual “Hu¬ manitarian Award” to the individual who, in the opinion of a committee of distinguished and public-spirited citi¬ zens, performed the greatest service for humanity during the year 1950. Heineman Joins UA As Distrib. V.-P. New York — Arthur B. Krim, president, United Artists Corporation, last week an¬ nounced the appointment of William J. Heineman as vice-president in charge of distribution. Max E. Youngstein, vice-president and national director of advertising, publicity, and exploitation, appointed Jonas Arnold assistant advertising manager to Francis M. Winikus. Skouras Honored In Phila. Philadelphia — Spyros P. Skouras, presi¬ dent, 20th Century-Fox, last week ac¬ cepted an award honoring his company and himself for their efforts contributing to human relations and intergroup under¬ standing. The citation was made at a “Salute To The Arts” dinner at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel given by the Phila¬ delphia Fellowship Committee. The award noted Skouras’ efforts in ' numerous humanitarian and inter-racial causes, and hailed his company for such films as “Gentleman’s Agreement”, “Pinky”, and “No Way Out.” Hollywood stars arriving in San Francisco for the recent premiere of Columbia's "Valentino" were presented "the heart of the city" by Marvin Lewis, right, representing Mayor Robinson. Accept¬ ing the token are Patricia Medina and Anthony Dexter, who plays Valentino, while looking on are Jerome Courtiand, George Bruce, Larry Seballos, Audrey Totter, Olga San Juan, Edmund O'Brien, director Lewis Allen, Barbara Lawrence, and Alexis Smith. Columbia publicist Mike New¬ man, Graham Kislingbery, North Coast district manager, and Anne Belfer, North Coast publicist conducted the campaign in advance of the stars' arrival, netting city-wide publicity in all media. Interstate Decree Leads To Splitup Washington — Amendments to the Para¬ mount consent decree dissolving joint in¬ terests with local exhibitors in the Inter¬ state Circuit and Texas Consolidated The¬ atres were approved last week by the Department of Justice. Later, in New York City, Judges Augustus Hand, Alfred Coxe, and Henry Goddard, Statutory Court, okehed an amendment to the Paramount decree per¬ mitting United Paramount Theatres to retain possession of 95 houses in the In¬ terstate Circuit rather than only 44. In so doing, the judges denied an appeal by Russell Hardy, attorney for St. Louis Amusement Company, Fanchon and Marco, Southside Theatres, and Paramount Holly¬ wood Theatre Corporation, among others. Under terms of the amendment, as ap¬ proved, UPT has three years to dispose of 76 of the 171 theatres purchased, onethird of which must be sold each year. If, after five years, it can be adjudged that there is still no competition in the situa¬ tions involved, the circuit will have to dispose of further holdings. The amendments were presented in federal court in New York City. Inter¬ state and Texas Consolidated become part of United Paramount Theatres, with Para¬ mount releasing 76 of the 171 houses operated by the two corporations. The agreement under which United Paramount Theatres buys the interest of Karl Hoblitzelle and associates in Texas Consolidated and Interstate provides for 10-year management contracts for Hoblit¬ zelle and Robert J. O’Donnell, it is re¬ ported. The 171 theatres in Texas and New Mexico are said to be priced at $12,500,000. UPT is ordered to divest itself of 76 of those involved by a Department of Justice proposal. The proposed amendment to the con¬ sent decree permitting UPT to acquire complete ownership of Interstate and Texas Consolidated provides that UPT get rid of its interests in comparable theatres in other areas within three years, since the number of houses United Paramount can retain in the two circuits places the total UPT theatre ownership over the maximum set by the original consent decree. Of the theatres which UPT must un¬ conditionally divest itself in Interstate and Texas Circuits, at least a third must be sold within a year from the date of the new order, another third in two years, and the remainder within three years. All must be disposed of within six months of the time they are required to be divested, and none can be sold to any company which was a defendant in the original govern¬ ment anti-trust suit, or which is owned or controlled by such companies. Four houses must be divested in Albuqueraue, N. M., with all others to be re¬ leased in Texas. Winikus Returns To UA New York — Max E. Youngstein, vicepresident and national director of adver¬ tising, publicity, and exploitation, United Artists, last week announced the re¬ appointment of Francis M. Winikus as advertising manager for the company. March 7, 1951