The Exhibitor (1951)

12 EXHIBITOR MISCULANiOUS NEWSREELS In All Five: Korea: MacArthur starts offensive at the front. In Addition to the Above: Movietone News (Vol. 34, No. 18) Washington: British jet establishes record for Atlantic Ocean crossing. Palo Alto, Cal.: Jet helicopter. Washington: Dewey says free world must stop Reds' war plan. Iron Mountain, Mich.: Olympic ski jump¬ ing (except Los Angeles and San Fran¬ cisco) . Santa Anita, Cal.: “Rough ’n’ Tumble” wins derby (Los Angeles and San Francisco only). Nassau, Bermuda: Water skiing wizardry. Washington: “Lady” wrestling. News of the Day (Vol. XXII, No. 252) Washington: Dewey says free world must stop Reds’ war plan. Palo Alto, Cal.: Jet helicopter. Valley Forge, Pa.: Freedoms Foundation awards. Baltimore, Md.: New set of quads. Miami Beach, Fla.: Olympic diving stars. Washington: “Lady” wrest¬ ling. Paramount News (No. 55) Washing¬ ton: British jet establishes record for At¬ lantic Ocean crossing. Washington: Dewey says free world must stop Reds’ war plan. France: Eisenhower takes up duties in Paris. Iron Mountain, Mich.: Olympic ski jumping. Santa Anita, Cal.: “Rough n Tumble” wins derby. Universal-International Newsreel (Vol. 24, No. 434) Washington: President Tru¬ man at exhibit of White House press pho¬ tographers. Hollywood: Stars get Look awards. Miami Beach, Fla.: Olympic div¬ ing stars. Iron Mountain, Mich.: Olympic ski jumping. Washington: “Lady” wrest¬ ling. Warner Pathe News (Vol. 22, No. 57) Washington: Dewey says free world must stop Reds’ war plan. Washington: British jet establishes record for Atlantic Ocean crossing. Washington: President Truman at exhibit at White House press photog¬ raphers. Valley Forge, Pa.: Freedoms Foundation awards. Baltimore, Md.: New sets of quads. Palo Alto, Cal.: Jet heli¬ copter. Miami Beach, Fla.: Olympic diving stars. Iron Mountain, Mich.: Olympic ski jumping. Telenews Digest (Vol. V, No. 9-A) Washington: Office of Defense Mobilization Chief Charles E. Wilson reports to the nation. Korea: “Operation Killer.” Ber¬ muda: Secretary of State Dean Acheson on vacation. Washington: British jet es¬ tablishes record for Atlantic Ocean cross¬ ing. Indo-China: French and rebel forces exchange war prisoners. Spain: Floods. New York: Reunion and separation of German war bride and her husband. Washington: Dewey says free world must stop Reds’ war plan. NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW Feb. 17, 1951 Starred Selected Feature: “David Copperfield” (MGM) ; Selected Features: “Only The Valiant” (WB); “Three Guys Named Mike” (MGM). For Real Coverage Of Happenings In Your Area, Read This Publication. Franchise "No Absolute Right," Judge Rules _ WASHINGTON — A contract giving an exhibitor the right to negotiate for a certain share of product in no way gives the exhibitor an absolute right to those films, it was ruled last week by Judge Curran in federal district court as he approved a stipulation settling a breach of contract suit brought by the Walbrook, Baltimore, Md., against 20th -Fox. It was further held that such a con¬ tract would amount to a franchise, and would not be legal under the Para¬ mount case decision handed down by the U. S. Supreme Court. When 20th-Fox was sued by the Windsor, Baltimore, Md., for a part of the product being sold to the Wal¬ brook, the company stipulated with the Windsor that it would have the right to negotiate for half of the 20thFox product in that neighborhood. Suit was then brought by the Wal¬ brook. Under the settlement, a Sept. 11, 1952, termination date was put on the Windsor contract, with Judge Cur¬ ran stressing that the term “negotiate,” as used in the settlement, must not be construed as the equivalent of a franchise. MGM Sets New Trailer Policy New York — As part of its intensified program for achieving greater audience impact through the use of new and novel formats in trailer production, MGM has already lined up, and is preparing plans additionally for, more stars and person¬ alities to narrate and appear in trailers for the forthcoming year’s product than ever before in the company’s history, it was announced last week. This was the report given to Howard Dietz, vice-president and director of pub¬ licity, advertising, and exploitation, by Frank Whitbeck. studio trailer and adver¬ tising head. Phil Chakeres Honored New York — Phil Chakeres, Chakeres Circuit, Springfield, O., was singled out from about 70 nominees to win the ex¬ hibitor achievement award presented by Look magazine, it was announced last week. The award was inaugurated at the suggestion of TOA executive director Gael Sullivan at the 1950 TOA convention in Houston, Tex. Spyros P. Skouras, left, president, 20th-Fox, and Earl Sponable, director of research for the com¬ pany, are pictured in New York City at a recent press conference as they discuss the acquisition by 20th-Fox of the Swiss Ediphore projection system of large screen television for theatre use. NPA Denies Theatre Applications Washington — The NPA last week an¬ nounced actions on theatre construction “hardship case” applications. Approved were $11,000 for an amuse¬ ment park at North Dartmouth, Mass., for Lincoln Rides, Inc., that city; $38,150 for a Union, N. J., amusement park for H. and E. Balaban Corporation, Chicago, and $38,150 for a North Randall, O., amusement park for the same corporation. Denied were a drive-in at Sanford, N. C., for O. O. Cagle; $100,000 for a Birming¬ ham theatre remodeling by R. M. Ken¬ nedy, Birmingham, Ala.; $550,000 for St. Louis theatre to Bernard Steinger, St. Louis; $9,800 for addition to Dallas theatre sanitary facilities to Interstate Circuit, Inc., Dallas; $54,000 for addition to the Midland, to J. Howland Hodge, Midland, Tex., and a theatre for North Bend, Ore., to Jones Enterprises, Inc., Portland. U-l Holds Three Regionals New York — Universal-International launched a series of three regional sales meetings last week, attended by the com¬ pany’s home office sales cabinet headed by Alfred E. Daff, director of world sales; Charles J. Feldman, domestic sales man¬ ager, district and branch managers, and John Davis, general manager, J. Arthur Rank motion picture interests. The meetings were also held at the Hotel Drake, Chicago, and the Hotel Mark Hopkins, San Francisco. They are the first regionals presided over by Daff since he was named director of world sales and Feldman, since he became domestic sales manager. Coast Suit Extended Chicago — Attorney Seymour F. Simon, conducting the anti-trust case for the Crown, Pasadena, Cal., owned by the Markoy Corporation, filed an amended complaint before he left again for Los Angeles last week. The trial is set for April 2. The amendment raises the orig¬ inal triple damages asked from one mil¬ lion dollars to $2,118,000. The Crown alleges it was prevented *from showing first-runs, starting in November, 1947, until after they had been played in rival theatres in Pasadena, and also in Los Angeles, a competitive city. Ebenstein Heads Copy. Group New York — Morris Ebenstein, Warners, was last week unanimously named chair¬ man of the Motion Picture Association’s copyright committee. Ebenstein succeeds Edwin P. Kilroe, who resigned from the committee post concurrent with his recent retirement from 20th Century-Fox. The committee also designated David O. Decker, Loew’s, as its honorary chairman. U-I’s Cyril S. Landau was elected secre¬ tary. "Bride" Suit Filed New York — An action was begun last fortnight in U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by H. K. S. Motion Picture Producing and Dis¬ tributing Corporation under contract with Motion Picture Releasing Corporation against Dwain Esper and RKO Theatres, Inc., for alleged violation and infringe¬ ment of a copyright granted covering “Savage Bride.” March 7, 1951